Jack Rankin: The case for CANZUK is solid, and the time really is now

Jack Rankin is the Member of Parliament for Windsor.

As I write this, bombs are flying over the Middle East. War is raging in Eastern Europe. An increasingly revanchist China is threatening its neighbours. And across the world, national governments are realigning their geopolitical stances to adapt to this new world we find ourselves in after decades of relative peace.

Britain should be doing the same.

Our departure from the European Union saw an opportunity to rethink Britain’s place in the world – now, the increased unpredictability of our relationship with a United States, presents another challenge. We should use these opportunities to strengthen relationships with countries that share our institutions, our outlook, and out strategic interests. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are the obvious places to begin – with the goal being a new bloc with the four nations named CANZUK.

As the Member of Parliament for Windsor, the home of our shared monarchy, I am constantly reminded of the close ties Britain holds with Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. His Majesty is one symbol of those ties, with shared institutions and culture being others. Our close relationships were proven last week, when the Conservative Friends of CANZUK (of which I am vice-President) hosted Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, for a CANZUK drinks reception. The following day at the Centre for Policy Studies’ Annual Thatcher Lecture, Mr Poilievre expanded on his particular CANZUK vision.

But this phenomenon doesn’t just exist on the Centre-Right though. Britain appointed Mark Carney – a Centre-Left figure in Canada – as Governor of the Bank of England. How many countries would accept a foreigner as governor of their national bank? Not many I’d wager – but we don’t really see Canadians are foreigners, do we? It is unlikely that Brits would have approved a non-Brit holding this position unless they came from a country with such deep ties to Britain as someone from a CANZUK nation.

With the Canadian Leader of the Opposition was in London, the very same Mark Carney, now Canadian Prime Minster was signing a new critical minerals agreement with his Australian counterpart. That is not nostalgia – that is very real twenty-first century geopolitics. In New Zealand, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been calling for CANZUK for almost a decade.

The foundations of CANZUK are historical as well as strategic. Our ties are deeper than being purely diplomatic.  In the First World War, British forces fought on the Somme, Canadian identity was being forged at Vimy Ridge, and Australians and New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Our armed forces have fought alongside each other for more than a century. Constitutional traditions across the nations are closely related, with legal systems all rooted in English common law.  English is our common language, and we share a Head of State. These factors already mean we have a lot more in common with CANZUK nations than the vast majority of European nations, making a deeper partnership all the more sensible.

Defence is at the core of today’s political debate. The world is becoming a more dangerous place, and the assumptions that Britain previously worked on are becoming increasingly invalid.  Britain and Australia already work together through the AUKUS security partnership alongside the United States. Canada plays a key role in defending the Arctic and the North Atlantic. Britain remains a maritime power with global responsibilities. We should commit to recognising and enforcing Canadian sovereignty over their internal waters in the Northwest Passage. A deeper CANZUK partnership would ensure that Britain’s areas of strategic interest are better defended.

And what about the economy? The combined GDP of CANZUK stands at approximately $6.5 trillion, making it the third largest in the world only behind China and the United States.  Unburdened by the self-imposed regulatory barriers of the European Union, CANZUK nations have massive growth potential which would only see the bloc strengthened in the future.  Australian lithium, British tungsten, and Canadian uranium could supply a wave of reindustrialisation that the West is crying out for. A skilled mobility framework – which works for the benefit of the people of each member state rather than big corporations – would boost labour productivity across the bloc and deepen our cultural ties. The potential economic benefits of CANZUK are plentiful and only require each nation’s leadership to grasp the opportunities at hand.

As Kemi Badenoch is now arguing: “Our four nations have shared strengths in goods, services, and defence. By working more closely together, we can combine these collective strengths to boost our economic growth and our national security.” The British Conservative Party joining our brothers in the Canadian is under-appreciated strategic news, a key campaign win for Conservative Friends of CANZUK.

CANZUK will now be in our manifesto, and it will be at the top of our agenda when we are next in government. This is a monumental moment in post-Brexit foreign policy. Since 2016, EU-nostalgic politicians have been unable to mask their contempt for Brexit, and our foreign policy has been hindered as a result. Under new leadership, the Conservative Party has finally broken itself free from these figures, and if in Government, would take serious steps to ensure CANZUK becomes more than just an idea.

In an increasingly uncertain world, we need to stand with our closest allies. It is time for CANZUK.