Yet, like Banquo's ghost, the spectre of discontent looms deep over the Conservative Party. Europe has split the party down the middle before, and it looks like it will do so again. David Cameron's new European Policy idea seems designed to appease the anti-European wing by vigorously engaging with Europe to negotiate what he can to get sovereignty back. I'm sure that if he actually goes into Europe and tries this tactic he will be greeted by deserved hoots of derision. The fact is this, we are one of 32 who all have to agree on any fundamental changes to the constitution and that just ain't going to happen. His stance seems impotent at best and the actions of a man who, upon discovering the horse has bolted, closes the door and shuts himself inside the stable for a good old fashioned sulk. Perhaps it's time to do something really radical...
Britain's attitude to Europe is frankly crazy. A total of 51 MEPs elected from the UK are from parties either sceptical of, or outright opposed, to the EU in its present state. It's a bit like sending a team of people who don't like football to go and play in the World Cup next summer. Yet these anti-EU people go there and participate. Surely that is the ultimate hypocrisy. For a generation we've suffered a media happy to pander to the Euro sceptic cacophony. The result is that we've got nowhere. We have closer ties with Europe and the only thing Margaret Thatcher achieved was a rebate which was got at the price of John Major's humiliation as the rest of Europe exacted retribution at her utter inflexibility. The Labour leaders have at least tried something more positive but have done so with the attitude of a major world player with a vastly over exaggerated ego.
The truth is Europe is more of a benefit than a curse. The foaming at the mouth over immigration we have in this country totally forgets that this is a European problem. We face a far lesser issue on this issue than France and Italy who are constantly seeing people sailing across from North Africa in search of a better life in Europe. This is something where David Cameron's idea of making a law just for Britain is almost counter productive. We need to co-ordinate our approach to this problem. We are happy to do this when it comes to cross border extraditions, why not do this with migration issues?
The biggest worry about the Conservative/UKIP/BNP stance (yes, the BNP are rabidly anti-European) is over our economic ties. The right seem to believe that the EU will be happy for us to have independence. The sceptics want us to just walk away from the table altogether. The truth is stark, we'd be a Third World in less than a decade. If I was part of the EU and anyone tried to pull that stunt I'd just slap huge tariffs on imports and exports, remove free trade rights and sit back and watch them flounder. That's a reality. Cameron's approach to being tough could cost us jobs and economic security. We're part of a strong trading bloc and we can't survive without it.
Being a voice of dissent won't win any favours with the major powers within the Union. His ill sighted move away from the centre right alliance to form his own group made up of minor players and radicals is childish and petulant. It serves only to risk his credibility. The comments of the French Minister Pierre Lellouche that this would "castrate" Britain may have been silenced but they are probably the views of many in European politics. To constantly take a negative approach will be counter productive to achieving anything. So let's propose something truly radical.
Let's do it in 3 stages:
- Actively participate in European debates from the perspective of a positive outcome for everyone in Europe, working together to produce a result which benefits us all.
- Report all the benefits of our membership, For example, the EU Working Time Directive significantly improved the working lives of thousands of people as they no longer had to work excessive hours. There are two sides to every story.
- Stop looking at Europe as a threat to our sovereignty. See the benefits of being part of a major player on the world stage and use this to influence events globally. Speaking with one voice is not a disadvantage if you use your influence to ensure it has included your words.
We're actively involved in changing hearts and minds in Afghanistan, why not do something closer to home.
I for one am pretty proud to be a European.
