The UK, a beacon for freedom and civilization falling in ruins

by Gabriele Bonafede

The United Kingdom, the country of Churchill, is no longer Churchill’s nation. Now it is a country that betrayed the very foundations of liberal thought.

The United Kingdom was rightly perceived by many as a beacon for freedom and civilization. It was the country that stood against Nazism in Europe and the world. It was the country that built its grandeur on free initiative, free trade, open liberal though, philosophy, free press, search for cultural and social advancement.

No longer. The UK of this second decade of XXI century has been pulled down a cliff of nationalism, controlled press, hate speech and lies. The tragedy of Brexit that started a few years ago ignited a disintegration process that has not yet been understood in its might and scope.

Governments are no longer accountable. PM and ministries are no longer accountable for continuous lying, systematic theft and conflict of interest. Press is not anymore free, nor accountable for fakes or misleading stories. Parliament is dysfunctional. Electoral law is no longer ensuring the voice of many. Equilibrium of different powers does not exist anymore. Nationalist propaganda is bordering Mussolini’s farces of fascist Italy.

The UK is falling apart because of Brexit

Not surprisingly, the United Kingdom is falling apart, with nationalism of Scotland and Wales on the rise. In reality, the United Kingdom has already an internal border between Northern Ireland and the rest of UK – showing the beginning of its ruin.

The elections of May 6^th in Scotland can still show the United Kingdom is united. The reality is very different. Should SNP obtain full control of Holyrood an institutional crisis will follow. Should Scottish Conservative obtain a victory, the institutional crisis will be even worse than expected.




EU was created to maintain peace and prosperity in Europe after the two horrible wars of XX century. Many Brits did not understand that EU maintained peace and prosperity in UK too. With the UK out of EU that peace and prosperity is no longer granted.

There is no way-out for the United Kingdom unless the relationship with EU is re-considered via a re-joining process. It is very difficult that UK will re-join EU as a whole country. Yet, the alternative is appalling. Considering the policy of current government, the UK is entering a phase where pandemic crisis might be dwarfed by upcoming threats.

The institutional crisis ignited by Brexit is far from over. It would have been very difficult to face it in country of freedom and civilization. With the current state of the UK, it is all worse. Much worse, as nowadays UK is no longer a beacon for freedom and civilization and turned itself in a nemesis of itself.

On cover, photo by Arthur Osipyan on Unsplash (cut). Full photo here.