Gareth Evans, former Foreign Minister of Australia is sending a message to supporters of a Brexit that they can bury their "illusion" that a "self-exiled UK" would be able to reinvent itself and "find a new global relevance." There has been talk of its "leadership role, as the center of the “Anglosphere,” an exclusive "club" based on the "Five Eyes" network, that makes up of Australia, Canada, New Zeland, the UK and the US, which share intelligence with one another. The five partners have such a close relationship that they have agreed not to spy on each other.

As the afore-mentioned alliance shares "so much of a common heritage in language, history, law, democratic institutions and human-rights-respecting values," some Britons believe their country could take the lead in transforming the "Five Eyes" community into "a new, united force for global peace and prosperity," after ditching the "sclerotic, culturally and linguistically divided, and increasingly marginalized EU."

But Evans thinks Britain's "capacity to energize and become the heart of this group" bears little relation to reality. He doubts if the "Anglosphere advocates" will find anyone who wants to join "this new club" because "geostrategic, economic or political" considerations speak againt such an alliance.

Geography matters much more in determining whether a "bunch of other far-flung" partners can realistically work together on practical issues that they share little in common. As the US and China are vying for hegemony in Asia, the US would need to strengthen ties with the "Anglophone" countries in the region. Other non-Anglophone countries - Japan, South Korea, and its Southeast Asian allies, like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam etc. see absolutely no point in a "closer or more formal association with the UK." Unlike Britain, Canada and the US, Australia and New Zealand are non-NATO members, and they don't see what they can do in countering Russian aggression. Australia itself won't be able to count on Britain in contributing to its "regional defense."

Economically Britain used to be Australia's most important trade partner. In a 1972 referendum Britain decided to join the "European Common Market," and cut ties with the "Anglosphere" countries, inflicting pain on Australia's exports. Today it is the same "self-interest" that motivates some Britons to opt for a Brexit. Evans says, they can't expect to find empathy for it. Australia has its focus on regional trade agreements with the ASEAN countries and members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The US is likewise keen on finalising the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership "with the EU," and has little interest in "negotiating a free trade deal with Britain if it pulled out of Europe."

Politically Britain’s "Anglosphere dreamers" will have to learn the truth that "there is just no mood politically," in any of the Five Eyes community "to build some new global association of the linguistically and culturally righteous." If Britain leaves the EU, it can althogether forget about "creating an influential new international grouping of its own." It may find itself "very lonely indeed." There has also been talk about becoming another "Singapore" in Europe. Only time can tell, whether it will be the case.