As the UK heads towards a dysfunctional and mismanaged exit from the EU, are there any lessons out there that the British can learn from that would give everyone in the UK some hope for the future?
I think there is and perhaps Greece can help when it comes to taking on the bully boys of Brussels who showed Greece how inflexible and unjust they can be. If we can take one lesson from Greece is the fact that the disorder and chaos need not last for ever.
In 2009 the agony for Greece started and as a proud nation they could no longer submit to the diktats of Brussels and their accomplices. It has been a long and painful journey for Greece for an oddball nation at the edge of Europe which rediscovered a constructive role for itself.
As the emergency bailouts rolled out in 2010 led by the EU and the IMF, Greece transformed into a de facto protectorate of its creditors. So began eight years where the Greek political system and economy came under tremendous pressure. The country lost one quarter of their GDP and unemployment soared close to 30 per cent.
The voters abandoned Mr Papandreou’s Pasok party who had restored democratic order after military rule in 1974 in favour of the radical leftist Syriza movement. Alexis Tsipras, the leader of Syriza who became Prime Minister, was feared in Paris, Berlin and Brussels as a latter-day Lenin. Today he is the darling of the EU establishment for swallowing the bailout medicine and keeping Greece in the EU.
Greece is finding their way back to domestic stability and a secure place in the European order. They still face formidable tasks when it comes to economic challenges and there are concerns in place about the rule of law and the quality of their public administration, but they are in much better shape than many had predicted.
Some would say Greece is in a new “post-populist” phase and is as a result ahead of the rest of Europe. They are well ahead of the big players such as the UK, France, Germany and Italy who are still locked in mortal combat with their electorates.
Greece is finding their way back to domestic stability and a secure place in the European order whilst the British are saying goodbye to Europe with absolutely no idea where they are going.
The leadership in place across Europe watch on as a polarised and chaotically governed country has gone bonkers losing their global reputation and influence as a result.
There is hope for the British and disorder and rudderless leadership will not last for ever.
The UK has a long tradition of political moderation and pragmatism and I am in no doubt that our political leadership will eventually face up to the challenges and do the right thing.
There are no guarantees going forward for a UK that is no longer a member of their number one trading block the EU.
One thing for certain once the Brexit issue is put to bed, the nation can get behind a leadership that will do what they are elected to do and deliver the job at hand.
Over two years of economic standstill and endless debates about Brexit hopefully are now almost at an end and a new way forward can emerge.
Gordon is the former president and chief executive of BMMI. He can be reached at gordonboyle@hotmail.com
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