What is your favourite statistic?
Statistics – notoriously used and misused in political debate are all too often interpreted by opposing sides to fit their arguments. For many people it all boils down to one word: “Theatre”. That isn’t helpful.
When I was asked to speak on the topic of Europe at a recent LibDemPint, I wanted to achieve making the debate about Europe more tangible, meaningful – even visual by painting a picture of a real life situation.
The EU is not a state. It is a Union of states. But how about calling it a Team of states?
Would we get a different response from those who are totally opposed to the European idea if we talked about the European Team of states. And what reaction does it cause in the undecided which way to vote in the EU Referendum.
Think about a team that you are part of. Let’s take a team of employees in any company.
As a team they have a mission. As individuals, they have personal ambitions. But they still remain a team – pulling together.
If I look at the EU as a team, I see a group of countries working together – pulling together, to achieve something. For example the centralised authorisation of some medicines through the European Medicines Agency, making the process more efficient and reducing the administrative burden on individual member states.
There will always be one team member with the greatest ambitions. There are some countries in the EU who really want a promotion. Some may have waited for years; others are really good at something and think they deserve it.
And yes, there is room for improvement how the EU treats individual countries. But favouritism towards one employee is not a good idea – every HR institute will tell you that.
What if a team member finds a better job – or at least what they think is a better opportunity for them somewhere else; or even going it alone.
If a valued employee wants to leave the company, do we just look for another one to replace them?
It is not that simple in the EU team. Maybe there are a few things the company can do to keep a valuable employee. Although, after an artificial promotion or pay rise, the relationship between the employee and the firm may not be a smooth as it was before.
The point is this: I think that putting the situation into a real life example and looking at some of the practical implications, I hope makes a complex situation more tangible.
We all have to ask ourselves on occasions: “What makes a good team?”
“What makes a good EU?”
As the United Kingdom we can contribute or skills, knowledge and experience to the European Team. We need to be open to change. And we should stay committed to the vision.
Does it strengthen the case for staying together? Every voter will decide that based on what matter most to them.
One thing is for sure though. Bringing medicines to patients, faster and more efficiently will make a difference to the patient with a limited life expectancy.
How can it be achieved? Well, a great Team makes for a very good start!
* Thomas Liebers joined the Lib Dems in May last year, is an active campaigner in Richmond and is a member of the London Regional Executive.
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10 Comments
So the question becomes, do we want to be part of this team? What do we get out of the team, compared to what we have to put into it in terms of getting up early on Saturday for practice, spending money ferrying people around, and not being able to do what we want because it clashes with match day?
And are we happy with the Team Captain giving us orders?
Statistics don’t really work in the EU debate precisely because of the uncertainty of Brexit. We don’t know what sort of Brexit deal Britain would get. Therefore whenever any Bremainer brings up a relevant statistic, the Brexiteers can just claim scaremongering because magical negotiation powers will mean all the bad stuff will go away and the good stuff will still happen.
@Dav I don’t think we take orders from Stronger In, thank goodness. Stronger In are too detached from the realities of everyday life. Our argument combines pragmatism with principle. Tim highlights the positive impact of the EU on peace and prosperity. Meanwhile he highlights the hope and optimism of the principle of a community of nations.
I don’t think it is a team. It’s two different perspectives which come to the same short-term conclusion. The long-term extension of our argument, which needs to be pushed more, is that the EU needs reform to deliver better for the European community as a whole. Local and national democracy must be enhanced. Stronger In would see that admission as a concession.
On whether we should be involved, we are a party which is overwhelmingly pro-EU. I’m not saying there aren’t people in the party who want Brexit, but I recall last year an email survey of members found around 90% supported Bremain. This isn’t about politicial point-scoring. If we believe Bremain is best for Britain, we should say so and say why.
Well respectfully you wil have to get more eduacated on the EU I am afraid to say. As the EU is poised to destroy the environment at will if the TTIP is signed. For we shall never have a level playing field for trade as US corporate power will control EU trade once we have signed the US-EU TTIP. Indeed, the TTIP is basically a corporate charter to increase profits for the largest corporations in the world, cut employment numbers in the EU and ship our jobs to the low-cost economies of the world as usually happens and to get people to pay more for goods and services. Indeed, no major so-called trade deal to date has cut costs and in difference, has increased them.
The TTIP will also destroy the NHS, as the treaty is clear, ‘Monopolies cannot exist in free trade and what is the NHS, the largest monopoly in within the EU, in the eyes of the EU. Therefore say goodbye to the NHS once this treaty is signed and in a relatively short period of time.
For all EU business will be hit by the overriding control of the US – LEAKED: Big Business and Washington to have final say on EU trade laws under TTIP – https://www.rt.com/uk/336138-ttip-leak-eu-us/
‘The TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) will be an Absolute Disaster for the People of the EU (European Union) and the People of America (USA) in the long-term – We simply have to Vote AGAINST this behind closed doors Transatlantic Trade deal before it is signed up and too late for the People to do anything about it’ – http://worldinnovationfoundation.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/the-ttip-transatlantic-trade-and.html
Dr David Hill 18th Mar ’16 – 8:07pm TTIP has not been agreed yet and may never be. if your views are correct the USA would have a greater imbalance of power after brexit.
@Dr David Hill
I’m not quite clear what you are up to. Are you trying to expose the flaws in the arguments of the anti-TTIP campaigners by exaggerating their claims?
@Simon and Richard – I agree in part, it is hard to determine just what David Hill is aiming to achieve [Aside: from a short Google, I’ve not been able to identify any details about where, when, and what in for the ‘Dr’ and hence suspect it’s real worth.]
With respect to TIPP, whilst there are grounds to be concerned with what the final content might be, they aren’t really relevant to the Remain/Leave debate.
If TIPP is agreed by the EU, it will need to be ratified by the governments of all member states (necessary for it to come into effect as it is a treaty change). If the UK is in the EU then it will be Westminster’s decision to ratify TIPP or not – and surely the Leave campaign aren’t suggesting that Westminster is so weak that it will be unable to vote against something that is clearly not in our interest? However, if we Leave, the EU will make it’s decision and the UK will have zero impact on that decision, but we will be impacted by that decision both with respect to our trade with the EU and with the US.
As for a ‘sovereign’ Westminster being able to negotiate effectively in the UK’s interest with the US, we only need to look at the 2003 UK–US Extradition Treaty…
NAFTA and TPP which was signed between American and Asian nations (which does not have universal support from presidential contenders), are not good deals.
I agree with Dr David Hill. Ultimately, the only way to try to stop TTIP having a major impact on the UK is a vote to leave the EU. Otherwise, it will be ratified, it is not a question of ‘if’, and 5-10 years down the line people will notice how much of an absolute mess it is.
It is also true that the deal could somehow be built up outside the European Union, although it will be more difficult. The United States will do everything in their power to make it happen and the main political parties are all generally supportive of the deal. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s a bad deal and is part of the reason why politics internationally is becoming more radical on the left and right as a fightback to unrestrained globalisation and corporatism.
@Thomas – I agree terminology has an important part to play and hence the decision to change the name of the neighbourhood club from the “European Economic Community” to “European Union” has had some unfortunate consequences. Because you are right much about our membership is about the intangibles that words such as: neighbourhood, allies, community and team convey, whilst union and marriage convey a different style of relationship.
Of course, self-employment is also an option.