How to put the 'Great' back in front of Britain?

Bernard Jenkin has published a report, one he co-authored with George Grant of The Henry Jackson Society, on the subject of Britain's future strategy and the UK's future world role. It is not the point of this post to dissect the content of Jenkin's report, some of whose views/conclusions I do not agree with.

There are however a few observations to make:

The Foreward, written by Bob Ainsworth - he of rt. hon titleage - states:

"...this is a fundamental debate about the very nature of our country which we now must have, if rational and safe decisions are to be made to secure our future freedom, prosperity and security. This paper correctly argues that the United Kingdom has reached a moment of decision: that we have to choose whether the UK will continue to have a global role or take on the role of a less significant nation..."

Arguing that being a military global power brings prosperity Jenkin begins his paper thus:

"We have to decide whether we wish to maintain our position as a global power with a global role, or whether we really wish to become by default just another European country with only a regional one."

The reason I have extracted those two quotations is that they both illustrate exactly why this country needs a divorce from the European Union - all things considered, is it not the point that we and only we should have the right to decide our freedoms, prosperity and security?

The other point of note concerns the beliefs of Bob Ainsworth, as expressed in the Foreward, and the fact that he also believes in greater EU integration. It is contradictory to believe in greater EU integration, yet also maintain that the UK’s interests are global and that consequently its role should be global.

Or is Ainsworth, as with most politicians, cherry-picking his principles? Just asking, you understand......