The Disheartening Shift from Optimism to Gloom under Tory Rule
Returning to the UK after three years as a newly naturalized American has been an eye-opening experience. What used to be a nation of promise seems to be deteriorating under Boris Johnson’s leadership, arguably becoming even more tiresome than the reality show Love Island. The contrast between the optimism felt in the US under President Joe Biden and the bleakness of the current Conservative government is stark.
The Conservatives appear to realize that their policies have stripped hope from the populace. This is evidenced by their push for school children to celebrate the UK with songs during the recent “One Britain, One Nation” Day. One might think the lyrics, promoting a “strong Britain, great nation,” were penned by an unusual blend of a Cornish caveman and a government aide with ties to the Communist Party of China.
However, the Tories’ approach is understandable, as there seems to be little reason for optimism. The promised benefits of Brexit are unlikely to materialize, leaving the UK facing a US trade deal that signifies much more than relaxed food regulations. In fact, the UK has been unwittingly following a trade arrangement with the US for a long time, one that imports the most negative aspects of American culture.
The UK I remember did not idolize its military like the US does. Yet now, active-duty military personnel can cut in line at Heathrow upon arrival. This nationalism feels oddly out of place in Britain, especially considering the current state of the UK military, which has fewer personnel than the NYPD’s officers. The only thing Britannia now governs is the Queen’s hand gestures, and even that may soon change given her advanced age of 95.
Britannia, once the name of the royal yacht decommissioned in 1997, is being resurrected by the Tories, who propose a new vessel costing £200 million. While the nation struggles to provide for hungry schoolchildren—unless there’s a lengthy negotiation with a footballer—the funds supposedly allocated for the NHS seem to have vanished, leaving money for a royal yacht somehow available at Downing Street. This neglect of the underprivileged echoes the Reagan era, while the lack of attention to educational matters resonates with a distinctly American attitude.
