With the inauguration of Andy Burnham last week, the United Kingdom now has its fifth prime minister in four years. But despite the political turmoil, some argue the U.K. is still projecting greatness abroad. These observers are not referring to the allure of British pop culture or the enduring intrigue of the royal family, but rather, greatness in geopolitical terms.
In a recently published book, “The Return of the Great Powers,” British historian Brendan Simms identifies the U.K. as a great power alongside the usual contemporary ones, such as the United States, China and Russia.
In interviews and op-eds following the book’s release, Simms has defended his positioning of Britain in the upper echelon of the global power hierarchy, largely on the basis of the country’s overseas bases and continued influence in global security. London, the argument goes, also has a great past as a dominant player in the world and still aspires to reclaim that role—look no further than the government’s agenda for a “Global Britain.”