It seems that the left is not completely taken over politics in the United Kingdom just yet. With a new barrage of support, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage has taken center stage for the past few news cycles. Prime Minister Theresa May is facing scrutiny for her former opposition to Donald Trump and the Brexit separation of the UK from the European Union, and Farage is being credited with bringing a bit of balance to the public discussion.
Although May is meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the future of a divided Europe, she is doing it from a different perspective – one that can actually provide some depth to the discussion. Like it or not, the post-Brexit, non-EU Britain will maintain close relationships with France and many other European countries. Brexit and EU Europe will have to get along with itself, and the entire continent will have to get along with the United States.
Farage was the most prominent voice calling May to task for previously lambasting trade accords with the United States while taking visits to Saudi Arabia on a trade mission. Pressure from Farage and other levelheaded conservatives probably played a role in the almost complete reversal in May’s rhetoric after her visit to the United States and meeting with President Donald Trump.
CNBC reports that Farage is currently in talks with Ukip’s biggest funding source, and may be looking to broker more deals between Conservatives and the DUP, an alliance that is long overdue. A deal of this nature would definitely bring the more extreme liberal viewpoints of the Prime Minister to heel. All of this is great news for the relations between the United States and Great Britain.
How does this European power puzzle affect the United States?
The Trump administration has been working hard to reevaluate America’s relationship with Europe. It is no secret that the U.S. has carried more than its weight in agreements with the EU, to its own detriment. America incurs the majority of debt, we expend resources defending European countries, and we take in less than we should when it is time to collect.
Trump made some difficult decisions in his initial trip to Europe. He has been the only president in a generation to call Germany out and take on the repercussions of earning the ire of Angela Merkel. Although Trump is looking to preserve the relationship between Europe and the United States, he realizes that it cannot be done under the circumstances that liberals have set over the past 20 to 30 years. He is redefining how we interact with our allies, making sure that all of our associations are profitable to the motherland as well as helpful to our partners.
The rise of conservative parties in the United Kingdom seem to indicate that Trump’s message is taking effect overseas. If this is the case, we can expect Europe to uphold more of its responsibility to its alliances, most notably the United States. This is essential if we are to bring jobs back to the homeland and ensure the longevity of our working-class, veterans and cultural heritage.
In the United States, we should cheer on the rise of Nigel Farage and the conservative parties that back him. We should definitely look to the United Kingdom to be our main point of contact on the continent of Europe. As one of the most powerful social, economic and cultural forces on the continent, where the UK goes, the rest of Europe will eventually follow. If Europe goes in a conservative direction, Germany, Turkey, France and the rest of the European Union countries will get in line, even if the European Union may face pressure to do the same.
In the immediate future, conservatives should empower their Congressional representatives to uphold the new direction of the British Prime Minister. With the election of Macron in France and a left-wing premier in Ireland, the influence of liberals is still strong on the continent. However, there is more power in conservatism if we stay united across seas and against disadvantageous agreements.
Conservatism is the only way forward, and Nigel Farage is definitely a vehicle for the future of the United States and Europe.
~ Liberty Planet
