[soItGoesAgain]

It is a cultural tradition of the UK government to never be prepared for anything. This is the principle of muddling through because everything always works out alright in the end, so there is no point worrying about it.

[tj-teej]

Armando Iannucci gets it spot on in The Thick of It: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-thick-of-it

[panick21_]

Benefit of being an island. Always suck early in the war and then ending it with a treaty that is positive for you. Let your allies pay with blood.