ABSTRACT
The United Kingdom’s referendum vote in June 2016 to leave the European Union has been described as a long-overdue reassertion of British sovereignty, a spasm of jingoism that will impoverish generations to come and everything in between, with passions high on all sides. The damage to Britain’s imperial confidence arguably stung more than the political, economic and military reversals. The run-up to the Brexit referendum was characterised by the lack of any serious advance defence and security planning. While Johnson’s approach during the Brexit debate seemed reminiscent of the wilful insouciance captured by the satirical newspaper headline ‘Fog in Channel, Continent Cut Off’, Theresa May’s government stumbled into a post-Brexit world with a this-can’t-really-be-happening vertigo. Global Britain drew attention upon its initial release primarily for its intent to expand the UK’s nuclear deterrent from 225 to 260 warheads. Global Britain echoes earlier documents in many ways.
