In my twenties I spent much of my time living abroad. When in Britain I was only too aware of my country’s failings; when abroad I was only too aware of how much better most things were in Britain! Just now I can think of many aspects of life in Britain that I much dislike — rising gun crime, lager louts, the collapse of public transport, the absurd celebrity culture and our failure with major projects like the Greenwich Dome and Wembley Stadium. And yet one is vaguely aware of a sense of a British renaissance.

In the 1960s and 1970s, when I first got immersed in the excitement of British politics, my country was described as the sick man of Europe. Governments spent their time trying to check British failures on all too many fronts. When once British cars were admired everywhere, the car industry had now collapsed. Strikes were the order of the day in industry and the public services. “All out” had become a watchword. The economy was fading and the pound sterling falling. The British Empire and Britain’s wartime victories, such as El Alamein, seemed long ago.

Britain’s position in 2006 does seem to have improved remarkably since those days. While I deplore Britain’s excessive, almost groveling, support for the occupant of the White House, it is not easy to deny that working closely with the world’s superpower has increased our diplomatic clout — even if we have lost good friends in the process.

In the context of Europe, our 24 European partners seem to be agreed that British ideas on the future of the European Union are winning the day, and British diplomats and businessmen have a leading role. The French are convinced Britain has taken control of Brussels — curiously at a time when the man in the British pub is convinced that the country is now run by those foreigners in Brussels!

I have been educated at Sandhurst, and it is not surprising that I rate highly the much-reduced British armed forces. The Special Air Service has clearly gained a formidable reputation, and the Royal Navy’s latest frigates — while horrifyingly expensive — must be amongst the best in any navy. The French have been reorganizing their armed forces on British lines. British peacekeepers in the former Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone were much admired for their “hearts and minds” approach and military skills.

Having suffered not so long ago from one of the worst economic performances in Western Europe, analysts seem united in suggesting Britain now has the best. Unemployment is very low, growth high and we top the league in terms of GDP per capita. The so-called “Anglo-Saxon” view of economic management has prevailed with the emphasis on low taxes and free markets.

As a London MP for 23 years I was intrigued to watch London become the business capital of Europe. The City of London has had its problems — especially over computers — but it remains a key destination for investors from many parts of the world. Yes, it is extremely expensive to live in the overcrowded South East but that is partly because the salaries earned there are some of the highest in the world.

On the cultural side Britain’s present success is also most surprising to people of my generation. I have no liking for the “Cool Britannia” politically inspired slogan, but such British writers as J.K. Rowling, John le Carré and Frederick Forsyth are incredibly popular. It is wonderful to observe the success of such architects as Lord Rogers and Lord Foster. The latter designed the long motorway viaduct in the south of France that has earned great praise.

For years more people have gone to concerts in Britain than to watch football matches.

The BBC has certainly done a lot to make classical music more popular. Classic FM is supposed to be the most popular musical channel in the world. John Rutter has greatly added to the Christmas carol collection and Sir Simon Rattle has been a big hit conducting the famous Berlin Philharmonic. The violinist Nigel Kennedy has a massive international following.

Britain’s quirky sense of humor also has its international enthusiasts. I am thinking of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers and Absolutely Fabulous.

In sport, England recently had a great win in world rugby and, for once, managed to beat the Australians at cricket. You can travel to the most remote village in the Sudan or Yemen and expect to be asked about the performance of Manchester United or Chelsea, and these days you may well find a picture of David Beckham, the English football captain, stuck on a wall!

In short, a reasonable case can be made out for believing the sick man of Europe has risen from his sickbed and has been putting in some top performances.