Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. I wrote an article in February this year titled ‘where have all the heroes gone’ hoping for Britain to be brave and believe in itself. I was as surprised as everyone when last week we did exactly that.
What happened on the 23rd June 2016 was the collective will of our Nation rallying around our flag, reminding our politicians who we really are. We’re a Nation that was born of struggle and a Nation that has at its very core, its DNA, a fighting spirit. Once upon a time we dominated the planet by imposing our strength, will and determination. We Brit’s know a thing or two about winning and losing. We understand competing at the highest level and applying ourselves when things get tough. Determination and spirit are as British as bulldogs. And it’s that fighting spirit that we now need to harness. It’s what made Britain Great.
The buck for Britain should stop in Westminster, but the past 43 years has seen ‘our’ responsibility slide to conferring with Brussels. As Churchill said, “the price of greatness is responsibility” and the British voter has demanded a return of responsibility, in the hope of greatness, from its elected leaders.
To strive for greatness is as familiar to us as cheering on our sporting heroes, where their success is the only goal. Sports drama unfolds daily as managers are adored then fired. Health, care, training and practice are demanded and lavished; and the very best conditions are paramount all in the name of success.
The collective responsibility of our nations greatness is ensuring our talent and extended support structure functions with clarity of direction, purpose and task within a respectful, cooperative and positive atmosphere – teamwork.
But when the sporting chips are down, when things go wrong and management hugely underperforms, as the team is floundering and on the brink of disaster who is it that applies the pressure that initiates wholesale change when needed? The public, the paying fans. We demand victory and value. And when we don’t get it, the consequences can be huge.
That’s all that happened on the 23rd, the public sensed something was wrong and demanded a return of loyalty and value in search of a misplaced National pride and long-term success.I believe our leadership should now make equal demands of we, the public. We will respond and rally around such a call to arms. If given the chance this ultimate ‘team GB’ will harness its collective efforts and make this country thrive and surpass all expectations. We will fish and farm abundantly, extract mineral resources more ecologically, manufacture, build and service better than anyone else. We will compete harder than our neighbours.
However, as a Nation we need world-class systems and new management in place to direct and co-ordinate our resources and effort. Patience and compassion will be required as we navigate inevitable speed bumps and witness lesser politicians using this time of change to apportion blame and create excuses for their failings. They will ultimately fall by the wayside as the qualities they sadly lack, ‘honour, tenacity and bravery’, will be much needed on our new direction.
One path in which we must and will excel is technology. This is such a dynamic and immediate sector in which to quickly dominate and emerge as a world power, not some old hat ‘business as usual’ regulation laden and ‘trade deal’ dinosaur. The world has fast become a series of online villages that are easy to navigate and quick to adopt new ideas.
Nationally we made a collective decision. We need to stop moaning and get behind it. We need to stop looking back at what was, or sideways at what could have been and instead focus ahead ten years. Look to current tech giants such as EBay, Amazon, Google, Baidu and whatever new emerging platforms enable global trade. Right now we can sell anything to anyone, anywhere and all that is needed is a mobile phone; these services will rapidly multiply, deepen and simplify.
We need to resolve to dig deep and fight for our children’s right to a safe trading haven from where they can flourish as never before. And what a splendid scrap this could be and what advantage we have. We are a nation founded on glorious battles, born of maritime prowess that over the centuries established trade routes where there were none. We formed a commonwealth of nations bound by what has become a global language. We are, and have always been, world leaders and innovators in every sector.
With global markets now only a click away, we must emulate our forefathers by establishing new technology trade routes with exciting world class funding and attractive tax models that open up opportunities in areas not yet dreamt of.
I believe that with the right motivation ‘team GB’ will become the global rising star that all others set their compass by.
And I for one will continue to wish upon that star.
