In a direct pitch to a sometimes-wary Washington, Peter Mandelson has positioned the post-Brexit UK as America’s “flexible friend.” His speech, which strategically included warm words for Donald Trump, was a carefully crafted appeal aimed at securing Britain’s future as a key global player by cementing its relationship with the United States.
The centrepiece of this pitch is a proposed technology alliance. Mandelson is offering the UK as an indispensable partner in the most critical sector of the 21st-century economy. The goal is to make Britain so valuable to US interests that its seat at the top table is guaranteed. This partnership is framed as a source of mutual benefit, but especially as a source of immense geopolitical clout for the UK.
To make the offer more appealing, Mandelson highlighted the UK’s newfound flexibility. His embrace of Trump and his championing of Brexit’s “freedoms” were designed to contrast the UK with the European Union. The message was clear: Britain is nimble, reliable, and ideologically aligned, free from the cumbersome and often critical nature of the 27-member bloc.
Ultimately, the speech was a bold attempt to rewrite the UK’s global role. It rejected any suggestion of decline and instead offered a dynamic vision of a “Global Britain” that thrives by becoming America’s most important ally. In this new world, past political loyalties are secondary to the core mission of securing this unique and powerful bond.