Home
/
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
/
US to UK: Embrace ‘spirit’ of Declaration of Independence for Brexit
US to UK: Embrace ‘spirit’ of Declaration of Independence for Brexit
Jul 6, 2025 7:27 PM

On this Fourth of July, the U.S. ambassador to the UK has written an op-ed encouraging the government to embrace the spirit of the Declaration of Independence. Robert Wood Johnson’s op-ed points to the special relationship that grew up following our Revolution to strengthen Theresa May’s flagging resolve as Brexit talks lumber forward.

“Change calls for courage, conviction and confidence,” writes Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson in the Daily Mail. “And there is no finer example of that spirit in action than the Declaration of Independence which we celebrate today.”

Ambassador Wood draws clear parallels between U.S. independence and the reluctance of some Brits to cut ties with the European Union. Despite British encroachments on colonial liberties, including taxation without representation, “thousands and thousands of colonists wanted to remain. They strongly opposed breaking the union — not only did they feel British, even more importantly, it was Britain who bought their goods.”

But fueled with “a unity of purpose and a clarity of vision that drove them forward,” they began a process that would result in the creation of the world’s leading superpower – one that would help Great Britain save itself from totalitarianism in the twentieth century.

He then makes a seemingly counterintuitive claim:

The Revolutionary War was also the best thing that could have happened for the relationship between America and Britain.

Ultimately it paved the way for our great alliance as independent nations.

Likewise, even after Brexit, the UK will remain “bound to the EU not by institution but [by] shared values.”

The UK has much to offer the world, he writes, including “the most exciting entrepreneurs.” But it must strike out boldly to make the most of the opportunities that their ing independence could offer:

This isn’t a time for the UK to panic. It isn’t a time to fall into defeatism or to talk yourselves down. … You have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go in a different direction and define who you want to be and what you want to plish. That is an exciting opportunity. So hold your nerve Britain. This could be the start of something great.

I wish you all a happy Independence Day.

This administration’s tone could hardly contrast more with that of its predecessor. “When President Trump visits the UK in just over a week, he will be visiting a country which is as important to America’s future as it was to our past,” Johnson writes. “Our prosperity and security are intertwined with yours.” That contradicts the future promised by President Barack Obama during his April 2016 visit, when he said a post-Brexit UK would find itself “at the back of the queue” in U.S. trade and, it was implied, foreign policy. Ben Rhodes, a former Obama staffer, has revealed that Obama made that statement at the request of former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, whose administration supplied the precise wording.

The ambassador’s es, not only on the 242nd anniversary of U.S. independence from Great Britain, but as Theresa May’s government continues to “halt between two opinions” (I King 18:21) over Brexit. May has apparently abandoned hope of reaching a bespoke trade deal with the EU, but what she hopes for the future now seems unclear, even as Cabinet ministers will gather to thrash out the subject on Friday.

A government official told the Times that “Downing Street is moving towards the Norwegian model.” Norway has access to the Single Market but must accept most EU regulations, accept free movement of immigrants, and contribute to the EU budget but has no vote on the formation of those laws.

Meanwhile, May faces a brewing intraparty rebellion from Tories such as Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson who envision an energetic and independent future for the UK post-Brexit. Some of these Brexiteers warned on Wednesday morning that, if May does not deliver on Brexit, the Conservative Party will be “toast.”

One might see that as a twenty-first-century way of saying the party must hang together, or they will all hang separately.

And one may also see it further proof of the Divine precept, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).

You can read Ambassador Johnson’s full article here.

Happy Independence Day!

by John Trumbull, public domain.)

Comments
Welcome to mreligion comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
Verse of the Day
  Ephesians 6:14-16 In-Context   12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.   13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to...
Verse of the Day
  Romans 16:17-18 In-Context   15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord's people who are with them.   16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.   17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are...
Verse of the Day
  Romans 8:28 In-Context   26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.   27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on James 5:12-18   (Read James 5:12-18)   The sin of swearing is condemned; but how many make light of common profane swearing! Such swearing expressly throws contempt upon God's name and authority. This sin brings neither gain, nor pleasure, nor reputation, but is showing enmity to God without occasion and without advantage It shows a man...
Verse of the Day
  2 Corinthians 6:14 In-Context   12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.   13 As a fair exchange-I speak as to my children-open wide your hearts also.   14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?   15...
Verse of the Day
  1 John 4:19 In-Context   17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.   18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect...
Verse of the Day
  Deuteronomy 7:9 In-Context   7 The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.   8 But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on 1 John 4:7-13   (Read 1 John 4:7-13)   The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love. He that does not love the image of God in his people, has no saving knowledge of God. For it is God's nature to be kind, and to give happiness. The law of God is love; and all...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Luke 6:27-36   (Read Luke 6:27-36)   These are hard lessons to flesh and blood. But if we are thoroughly grounded in the faith of Christ's love, this will make his commands easy to us. Every one that comes to him for washing in his blood, and knows the greatness of the mercy and the love...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Ecclesiastes 5:9-17   (Read Ecclesiastes 5:9-17)   The goodness of Providence is more equally distributed than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common things of life, and the poor share them; they relish their morsel better than he does his luxuries. There are bodily desires which silver itself will not satisfy, much less...
Related Classification
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.mreligion.com All Rights Reserved