Britain is already great, we don’t need to return to 1950s

I WONDER how many other people share my alarm at how often we hear people - in particular those of the pro-Brexit variety - expressing a desire to “Make Britain Great Again.”

Britain is already great, and we cannot and should not simply go back to the 1950s at the drop of a hat.

Britons are not alone in this phenomenon; the election of President Trump across the pond shows us this. Indeed 56% of white Americans think that society has changed for the worse since the 1950s.

However, just because the Americans are at it doesn’t mean we should be at it; after all, this sentiment now means that the Americans have a racist, homophobic, sexist lunatic who thinks that climate change is a Chinese hoax as their president. Enough said.

As a nation, we have made amazing progress in areas such as gender equality, on racial equality, on embracing multiculturalism, on LGBT rights, on raising awareness of environmental issues, and so many more issues.

So if we are thinking of saying “Make Britain Great Again” think: “Do we really want to undo all of these incredible improvements?”.

Post-Brexit Britain must look forward to the future, and not, to use the words of Dan Quayle, “past to the back”. So here’s to an exciting new adventure of moving ever forward.

Charles E Leggat by email