London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Netherlands PM's scathing assessment of Brexit Britain: 'Too small to be on world stage!'

Netherlands PM's scathing assessment of Brexit Britain: 'Too small to be on world stage!'

MARK RUTTE delivered a scathing assessment of the UK's fortunes in the wake of the 2016 EU referendum, unearthed reports reveal.

Britain is trying to firmly establish its shift to the Pacific after becoming a "dialogue partner" of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab attended a virtual signing ceremony marking the occasion earlier this month. Membership of the ASEAN’s "dialogue club" allows the UK to attend annual meetings of foreign and economic ministers, as well as foster greater cooperation over trade, investment, climate change, the environment, science and technology, and education.

The bloc of 10 southeast Asian nations has a combined GDP of £2.3 trillion.

Mr Raab told the Telegraph, “the Indo-Pacific is the growth market of the future, if you take a 10-year period”.

He also said that working closer with ASEAN nations could help the UK’s efforts to “positively influence China”.

The UK has also applied to join the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade bloc, which also includes ASEAN members Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.

The government estimates that British exports to the CPTPP area will increase by 65 percent to £37bn by 2030.

Netherlands PM's scathing assessment of Brexit Britain : 'Too small to be on world stage!'

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)


UK trade with CPTPP members grew by 8 percent annually between 2016 and 2019.

Negotiations between the UK and Singapore also started recently on a ground-breaking digital economy agreement (DEA) to open up opportunities for British businesses to deliver their services.

As Prime Minister Boris Johnson's vision for a post-Brexit 'Global Britain' is slowly turning into a reality, an interview with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has resurfaced.

Speaking with Spanish newspaper El Pais in February 2019, Mr Rutte warned that the UK looked to be sliding off the "precipice" towards a devastating no deal Brexit.

He said: “Who will be left weakened by Brexit is the United Kingdom.

“It is already weakening, it is a waning country compared to two or three years ago.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss


"It is going to become an economy of middling size in the Atlantic Ocean.

"It is neither the US nor the EU.

"It is too small to appear on the world stage on its own.”

Mr Rutte, who claimed the Dutch would have replaced the UK in the bloc as the pre-eminent voice for free trade, also warned that hundreds of companies had plans to relocate across the North Sea from Britain.

He noted: “We can’t stop them from coming here.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte


“Every businessman I speak to from the UK is saying they will cut investments, cut their business in the UK.

"It will have an insurmountable impact on the UK."

Responding to Mr Rutte’s comments, a spokesman for former Prime Minister Theresa May said: “I disagree entirely.

"Employment is at a record high, exports are at a record high, companies are continuing to invest in the UK.

“Deloitte named the UK as Europe’s leading destination for foreign direct investment and London as the world’s top city for investment just last month.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×