Leading academic says Britain can continue global influence with well-handled Brexit

Despite the prospect of leaving the European Union (EU), Britain can continue to hold its position as a power with influence across the globe, a leading academic has said, adding a badly handled Brexit would damage the country.


"Britain has the capacity to come out of Brexit still as an international player -- it is predicated upon having a constructive exit from the EU," said Robin Niblett, the director of the Chatham House in London.

Niblett told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview that a break from the EU was a break with Britain's "most essential relationship"; geography and history dictated that continental Europe would be the most significant area of engagement for Britain in trade and politics. A rearrangement of the details of that engagement was not the same as a curtailment.

And for Niblett this essential relationship is also a benefit for both parties.

"All Britain needs is a decent deal with the EU and I think it can find its way in two or three years time back to a balance -- a slightly lower rate of growth or maybe a rate of growth that might be equal to what it had in the EU, but this is predicated on Britain not having a dysfunctional Brexit," said Niblett.
 [Xinhua/China]
12/1/17
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