Does Joe Biden Hate the Brits?

Joe Biden’s pilgrimage to the homeland of his Irish ancestors has been nothing short of entertaining. Despite his age, Biden has been energetic and enthusiastic with the visit providing classic moments like Biden walking out in Ballina to “Shipping up to Boston” and proclaiming the old Mayo dream: ‘Mayo for Sam!’ (who knew Joe had a favourite in the Sam Maguire). Biden has impressed on the tour by speaking eloquently about the his family’s connections to Ireland and has avoided his somewhat characteristic gaffes, other than confusing the New Zealand rugby team with a brutal sectarian militia. Some have claimed Biden’s trip is proof an Irish-American dream, that the descendant of Irish emigrants who escaped oppression and famine could become the most powerful man in the world. Others have called it a PR stunt to launch his 2024 campaign: either way the President’s love of Ireland is undeniable. At times he has seemed more at home in Ireland than in America even proclaiming, ‘It feels like coming home.’ But does Biden’s love of his ancestral Ireland mean he hates Britain?

On his arrival in Belfast to mark the 25^th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Biden was met with hostility from both the British press and hard-line unionists in Northern Ireland. With former NI First Minister, Arlene Foster, claiming Biden ‘hates the UK’ and a GB news presenter saying The President has ‘a deep hatred of the United Kingdom… especially the English.’ This has even forced White House special assistant Amanda Sloat to assure the press that ‘he is not anti-British.’ The reality is that he is anything but anti-British, and the anger form naysayers in the press can all be explained by a classic case of jealousy.

Biden’s visit to Ireland represents a changing of the guard within Europe, and it’s not looking good for the UK. Since Brexit the UK economy has in all practical terms been stagnant and has lost its dominant position within the European trading block. Along with this, British public services have been in decline, with beloved members of society such as teachers, nurses and junior doctors still on strike. Meanwhile the Irish Republic has had a financial flourish with GDP growth leading the EU along with an unprecedented budget surplus (3.5% of national income) which makes their public finances some of the healthiest worldwide and a flurry of international investment into the new tech-capital of Europe: Dublin. So it’s understandable why some Brits are annoyed at Biden’s cosy relationship with the Republic, it’s a reminder that Ireland is doing well within the European Union and Britain isn’t outside of it. If one thing is true about the capitalist nirvana of the USA, they follow the money and the money is in Éire.

But the UK should rest assured, Biden has accepted King Charles’ invitation for a state visit to the UK where we will hear the same old schtick every time an American President arrives with claims of a special relationship and a bond between the two nations, a bond not strong enough for a decent trade deal nonetheless. Perhaps the state visit will revitalise the somewhat stale special relationship although somehow I don’t think this trip will annoy the Irish, it’ll be hard to top the craic ‘Uncle-Joe’ had across the Irish sea. 

Frankly the British media’s response to Biden’s visit is embarrassing and is purely a projection of insecurity in Britain’s national identity. It’s hard for many in the right leaning press to see two cosy former colonies outshine Britain on the global stage. But the press would do well to remember that both Ireland and America won wars of independence against the empire, so their love is certainly not guaranteed. All this has proven for the UK is that national identity is as fragile as ever and that Britain can no longer rely on patriotic dreams of the past or shouting from the edges of Europe.