Why are British politicians so bad at politics?

What is it about Britain, when it sits down to negotiate with the rest of Europe? Britain, for example, has its own national interests, but in that regard is no more different that any of the other 27 members of the union. So why is it that Britain ends up in near total isolation? Why is it that every other member state, most of whom cannot compare to the UK in economic or military influence terms, can nevertheless manage to defend their vital interests without having to storm from the room?
After all, Britain is not the only pro-free market country, nor the only supporter of the Atlantic Alliance, nor the only former imperial power, nor the only non-member of the Eurozone, yet the only member that manages to almost completely strip itself of allies and influence. Why is that?
There is one thing that Britain has that no other member of the European Union has. Britain uses first past the post to elect its government. What’s that got to do with the price of parsnips, you ask? I’ll tell you. Every other European leader is used to not having a majority, or indeed a right to govern alone, after every election. Negotiation, alliances, cutting a deal and never boxing oneself into a political corner is standard fare for every non-British political leader. Sitting down with diametrically opposed political opponents and doing a deal is the European way, and is not regarded, as it is in the UK, as political treachery. Only in Britain is “compromise”, as declared by Mrs Thatcher, a dirty political word.

By the way, for a more thoughtful look at Irish foreign policy issues, check out Michael McLoughlin’s foreignpolicy.ie blog here.