Brexit not new, other times when the British Empire was made to exit its former colonies

Soon after Britain shocked the world by voting for a Brexit (leave the European Union), Nigel Farage, one of the leaders of the campaign to exit, declared, “June 23 will be remembered as our Independence Day.“ There is delicious irony to that.The British, more than others, have a history with `independence' struggles considering that their imperious empire held sway over several countries around the world for a long time. But one by one, the British had to depart from those territories, experiencing Brexits of a different sort altogether. As one Brexit made history last week, it's time to look at others from history.

The United States of America

After a prolonged revolution, on July 4, 1776, the American nation pro claimed its separation from Britain in the `Declaration of Independence'. In 1783, a treaty was signed between the two countries that formalised the arrangement.

Jamaica

On August 6, 1962, the island became officially independent from British rule following a period in which the Empire and local parties negotiated the transition.

India

On the eve of August 15, 1947, India and its neighbour Pakistan struck out on their own path to nationhood. Lord Mountbatten, the first governor-general of India, remained in India until June 1948.


Image: BCCL

The United Arab Emirates

The Emirates, a loosely-held consortium of sheikhdoms, was becoming too unwieldy for the British to protect and so, in 1971, the British government decided to end their treaty with the territories and let them govern themselves.