Tag Archives: ww1

Paul Reynolds

Opinion: 1914, 1973 and the lessons for an EU exit?

By Paul Reynolds | Thu 9th January 2014 - 10:13 am

1973The hundredth anniversary of the start of World War One has led to historians tortuously drawing parallels with the global rivalries of today. For Britain, the useful lessons from WW1 lie in European policy – and the rather lame campaign to stay in the EU.

After decades of anti-EU vignettes in UK newspapers, often with scant basis in fact, much of the British public have become emotionally negative towards ‘Europe’. There is receptiveness to the EU being blamed for all manner of problems; from perceived ‘illegal immigration’ to bureaucratic over-regulation.

The anti-EU camp has achieved an astonishing supplementary victory – confining the debate about the negative consequences of EU exit to a few ‘economic technicalities’. Investment curtailed? A million jobs lost? Claim and counter-claim fudge public perceptions on the possible economic downsides of EU exit.

What is surprising is that the in/out debate is conducted as if we were Iceland or Liechtenstein weighing up joining EFTA or the EU. It is also conducted as if it was still 1973 (when the UK joined), there were only 6 members, and we have 14 days to cancel.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged | 30 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Roy Gregg
    Thanks Ed for your leadership of our party, but it's time for you to retire....
  • Nonconformistradical
    From David Sparrow's posting: "I agree now is not the time the only beneficiaries will be the Tories and Labour" I'll stick with the Guardian's viewpoint in...
  • Richard Cripps
    Thank you, Rose. Very helpful link...
  • Sarah
    We’ll see if there’s a challenge but it’s clear MPs and members are frustrated with the lack of vision and failure to grow as a party under Ed and Mike Di...
  • Sarah
    This article says exactly what many of us think. I like Ed, I’d like to see him go with dignity(maybe to Lords as an elder statesman for the party and country...