In the Guardian Polly Toynbee writes an impassioned plea in favour of the EU: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/01/eu-referendum-next-election-tory-plans?CMP=twt_gu
One can disagree with every sentence of it, but three points do need specific attention:
“If Scotland narrowly stays in the UK this time, they will certainly demand another vote and swing to leave a non-EU England” – this ignores the considerable Eurosceptic body of opinion in Scotland, which in some polls has been greater than in the rest of the United Kingdom.
“…immigration is the price for prosperity.” Prosperity for whom? Do please tell us who is profiting from immigration, and not just in a Jonathan Portes smoke-and-mirrors sort of way – be specific and say exactly who (apart from pimps, the worst kind of slash-and-burn employers, and Constituency Labour Parties signing up bloc votes) is benefitting from these endless waves of immigrants.
“…isolated England… irrelevant abroad.” What is the international relevance you want to see Ms Toynbee? Relevant for invading Middle East countries and killing hundreds of thousands of people (as YOUR Labour government did)? Relevant for playing high-stakes geopolitical poker with the Russians over Ukraine and risking involvement in a war that has nothing to do with us? Why all this obsession about punching internationally above our weight? Who are we supposed to be punching and why are we supposed to be punching them?
Of course, from the elite’s point of view an ever closer union in Europe has wonderful advantages. It means bigger snouts in much larger troughs. For the elite (political, media, globalised business corporations) the EU is the way to go.
But there is no benefit for ordinary people – they will be robbed of everything they have, including their self-respect and their self-identity and the very land past generations have died to protect.
One can disagree with every sentence of it, but three points do need specific attention:
“If Scotland narrowly stays in the UK this time, they will certainly demand another vote and swing to leave a non-EU England” – this ignores the considerable Eurosceptic body of opinion in Scotland, which in some polls has been greater than in the rest of the United Kingdom.
“…immigration is the price for prosperity.” Prosperity for whom? Do please tell us who is profiting from immigration, and not just in a Jonathan Portes smoke-and-mirrors sort of way – be specific and say exactly who (apart from pimps, the worst kind of slash-and-burn employers, and Constituency Labour Parties signing up bloc votes) is benefitting from these endless waves of immigrants.
“…isolated England… irrelevant abroad.” What is the international relevance you want to see Ms Toynbee? Relevant for invading Middle East countries and killing hundreds of thousands of people (as YOUR Labour government did)? Relevant for playing high-stakes geopolitical poker with the Russians over Ukraine and risking involvement in a war that has nothing to do with us? Why all this obsession about punching internationally above our weight? Who are we supposed to be punching and why are we supposed to be punching them?
Of course, from the elite’s point of view an ever closer union in Europe has wonderful advantages. It means bigger snouts in much larger troughs. For the elite (political, media, globalised business corporations) the EU is the way to go.
But there is no benefit for ordinary people – they will be robbed of everything they have, including their self-respect and their self-identity and the very land past generations have died to protect.
No comments:
Post a Comment