Gunboat Diplomacy?

In another sign of a return to childhood by the Tories, Boris Johnson has announced that British gunboats are to be put on standby to patrol British territorial waters to prevent illegal fishing by EU fleets after January 1st.  In reality, its just the latest empty gesture, in a game of bluff played by the Brexiters over the last four years, which, every time, has failed to produce any positive results for them, and will continue to do so, for the simple reason that everyone knows that they have no cards in their hand to play.

In the 19th century, a Britain that truly did rule the waves, because British industrial capitalism was hegemonic, could, indeed, send its gunboats to force the Chinese to buy British Opium against their will, but the days of British hegemony disappeared long ago, and along with it any ability of Britain to impose its will on other countries.  Instead of ruling the waves, Britain is today dependent on waiving the rules, which is why it is so keen no to be tied down to any given set of rules over the trade deal, but as its economic power has declined, so its ability to do that has also declined, as the current situation shows, whereby a massively more powerful EU is able to dictate terms of trade to Britain.

Even  by 1975, when Britain went to war with tiny Iceland, in the so called Cod Wars, British naval power was so diminished that it could not win.  The idea that a couple of UK coastal patrol boats ae going to be able to effectively prevent hundreds of foreign fishing boats continuing to operate in the waters they have fished for decades is ridiculous.  But, it is also besides the point.  If EU fishing fleets abide by UK dictates over fishing, UK fishing fleets are no in a position to replace them.  More importantly, the real problem for UK fishing fleets is that the large majority of their catch is sold in the EU.  With no deal, the EU will impose tariffs of between 40-70% on UK fish, meaning it will have no market, so UK fishing fleets will have nowhere to sell their fish, which will send them into bankruptcy.

The Brexiters claimed that leaving the EU would save Britain billions of Pounds, but instead, at every turn all that has been seen is additional costs for Britain, less power and loss of real control, as Britain's relatively small size gives it no bargaining power in a lobal economy dominated by large economic blocs and super-states.  Having to use your navy to police your coastal waters in this way, is just the latest example.  Still, at least others around the globe will be pleased, as its some British armed forces not now available to be engaging in wars in their country, and a few less British troops available to be carrying out war crimes across the globe.  But, either way, it is money out of the coffers of the Treasury that is being used unproductively rather than being used to increase the wealth and well-being of the country, resources that would have been available had we remained inside the EU.