The Soviets forced de-colonialization to happen way before it should have, it should have been gradually phased in. But they way it was done, Britain and France just basically said, “Ok, good luck with all that”, and left.
Britain prepared their colonies for independence much better than other colonizers (and I’m no fan of Britain); they usually left the civil service fully in the hands of the natives, so they functioned better than other former colonies after the Europeans left. They also didn’t get involved in prolonged wars to hold onto them; while they had the Mau Mau revolt in Kenya and the Malaya and Aden “emergencies”, it was understood that they were leaving, and they kept positive relations with the former colonies via the Commonwealth.
France and Portugal left their former colonies in much worse shape (after fighting wars to keep them), and most of those new countries are still shitholes today. Who visits Angola or Algeria today?
I don’t believe any colonial power wanted to “gradually phase in” independence; Britain just understood that after WWII they could never hold onto them. The Third world had watched an Asian power humble Britain, France, and Holland, and there were weapons EVERYWHERE.