Edit - these posts will get downvoted. If only you could downvote reality away, eh?

Well clearly we did hold cards. The very post you replied to has pointed out exactly the cards we held, and still hold.

What I will say is remainers (including the UK government charged with managing the negotiations) weakened the UK's bargaining position just like your attitude would weaken the UK's position going forward.

But this isn't a brexit argument, that is a long-resolved issue.

This is about the UK's relationship with the EU. And notice I say EU, not Europe. I read media reports conflating the EU with Europe every week. Even this week talking of EU countries creating a 'European Army': well if they are going to define Europe as 'EU countries' (a corporatist takeover of the continent, if you like lol and most certainly something that I have read week in and week out, in corporate/billionaire owned/'mainstream' media and on subreddits alike, for years) so be it. Why wouldn't we maintain our special relationship with the US, and lean towards Russia, while maintaining our friendly relationship with China, given that the UK has been redefined out of Europe anyway? Kind of like Stalin editing his now-dead-former-rivals out of historical photos.

You reap what you sow.

Now if the EU wants the protection of our nuclear weapons, or even if they simply want the UK to intentionally weaken the special relationship with the US, then they demonstrate how they have significantly changed their attitude towards the UK on an ongoing basis and they redefine the EU's power in Europe, and they pay economically.

If not that, then you get Reform, and a UK that is completely aligned with Trumpism, which the easily riled won't believe is something that I very much do not want to see.