Britain's image abroad

I fear that Britain's image around the world is now pretty poor: a prime minister struggling to maintain authority, Brexit negotiations in the hands of a minister who has admitted he hasn't read the 800-page briefing paper on Brexit, a chancellor apparently at war with the new young inexperienced defence secretary, all the finest homes in London owned by billionaires who leave them empty, a cricket team that seems incapable of beating the Australians, and a very very uncertain future for all of us. We can't even make a stand when we don't aprove of something. So Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital was not welcomed by Theresa May yesterday, but today, Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, was hardly even critical. He just said it was "unhelpful". Well I suppose he has to be diplomatic, but couldn't he have toughened up his language a bit? Theresa said she would be ringing Trump to pass on her disapproval but it sounds like she is already preparing for a nice chat with Donald. There was a time when the British prime minister could and would ring the president of the United States and say: "Oy, I do NOT approve!" Margaret Thatcher did that frequently with Ronald Reagan. When US Marines invaded the Commonwealth Caribbean island of Grenada - head of state, Queen Elizabeth II - to oust the Marxist leader, he neglected to inform Thatcher beforehand. She was furious and told him so. It didn't destroy the special relationship. It enhanced it, because real relationships that work are not based on pussy-footing and tiptoeing around but are forged between two people who respect each other and treat each other as equals. Maggie and Ronnie really liked each other but when something went wrong they hammered it out like grown-ups. I doubt Trump cares what Theresa thinks and, sure as hell, I doubt he cares a monkeys about what Boris thinks. This is how Brtain is these days in the eyes of the rest of the world. Very very sad!