A response to Mike Barnard’s article ‘The Brexit telescope’
Hello,
I very much liked reading this article! Mike is absolutely right, in my view, concerning the UK.
However, his image of the EU looks a little bit too “rosy”:
I don’t think that there is a general appreciation of integration, particularly in the “new” member states from East-Central Europe. Having lived for decades under Soviet occupation, they cherish their newly won sovereignty. What makes the EU attractive for them is money – heavy subsidies for the farmers and business opportunities. For the political elite in those countries the EU provides a certain safeguard in terms of laws, standards of behaviour etc. And not to forget: the freedom to travel and work beyond borders.
Yet, not to forget: in times of crisis (as presently) the “poison of nationalism” is spreading. (See my article on the European Parliament elections).
It would be good for the UK “champions of re-integration” to have a realistic assessment of the EU’s benefits, shortcomings and serious problem: the EU is has many problems, but it is the only realistic way of living together peacefully!
And most important: the widespread total ignorance among the English public (not so much the Sottish and Northern Irish ..) has to be overcome: the history of (continental) Europe and the EU should be taught at English schools and British journalist should get aproblems better grasp of EU matters. And not to forget: the standard of news reports in BBC and other media has to improve drastically. I very much remember the stupid reporting during the Brexit campaign before June 2016: Most journalists and commentators were just afraid of the Brex-sh-itters (sorry) and reiterated their lies.
Eight years ago I was convinced that conditions in England must become much worse, before the ill-informed public really wakes up. Eight years later, things have indeed become worse, as Mike rightly points out, yet, not bad enough to effect fundamental change.
Helmut Hubel
Author’s response:
Hello Helmut, and thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my inaugural article.
Whilst I cannot disagree with your assessments of both the English, and the EU’s newer member states, as a realist I maintain that the UK’s future lies within a union of European states. For sure the EU today is a far removed from the six-member EEC and with a centre of political gravity significantly to the east of its original founders, however we both agree that it represents the ONLY place for the UK to reside economically, socially and politically in an insecure bloc-dominated world.
You rightly point out the failings of the English education system and British journalists (the latter often foreign-owned and funded), but I would suggest perhaps the greatest culprit is the English Anglo-sphere cultural identity, crafted over class-ridden, royalty-fawning generations to glorify its military and colonial past, encouraged to worship obscene levels of income inequality and hoarded wealth whilst living debt-laden, often in poverty and with many in destitution.
Until the English can be coaxed to believe in and work towards a future greater than a rose-tinted version of an imagined past, the nation will continue to drift, angry, enfeebled and frightened.
Best regards,
Mike Barnard
We want to hear your views. Please send any comments to editor@westenglandbylines.co.uk
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
