It is Worth Banging On about Europe

Those Conservatives in favour of securing significant reform to the EU as a condition of continued membership have taken a couple of knocks recently. The demand for an extra £1.7 billion of our taxes to be swallowed up in the labyrinth of the EU finances was an open goal for UKIP.  Then, Liberal Democrats have stabbed us in the back, yet again, by refusing to support a private members bill that would have given us a referendum on our future in Europe.  Meantime, on "Planet Riddell" in the Daily Telegraph, Conservatives are portrayed as blustering xenophobes, foaming like the Tiber (yes, she really stooped to that)!

Worse, the Planet Riddell view of European history would have us believe that "our culture, our democracy and our rule of law are woven through our bonds with Europe" and that we would be "foolish indeed to make foes of our most valuable friends." Would these "friends" be the same countries that vetoed the UK application in the first place, showed such consideration over our difficulties with immigration, dragged their feet over liberalisation of the market for services and jealously hacked away at the City of London competitive advantage (to name but a few)?

Propaganda is a selective presentation or omission of facts to encourage an emotional rather than a rational response to a particular situation. The oft re-cycled slogans like, "50% of our trade is with EU Members, the net benefit of membership to the UK is £90 billion a year, or £3000 per household" is seductive but highly selective - it is propaganda.  But even Mary Riddell recognises that "the arguments of the ledger book will have little traction on hearts and minds."

What can she be worrying about? Even with UKIP surging in the opinion polls, a majority of us, apparently, want to stay in the EU. Perhaps it is the proposition that the majority of us would not want to remain in the EU at any price that causes her concern?

Labour should fear that, in the privacy of the polling booth, voters will, actually, behave rationally, even recanting their emotional reaction to opinion polls.  There are significant doubts about the extremes of the argument.  Voters will pause and noting no clear path to the sunlit uplands, will opt for caution.  Herein lies the opportunity for Conservatives as the calm but firm voice on our future.  We must promise 2 things: tough, uncompromising negotiations and an unequivocal recommendation for a referendum if we do not achieve our desired position.  By being tough, I mean emphasising that we will not shrink from making that "out" recommendation to the electorate, if necessary.  And whilst on the strength of the UK negotiating position, I wonder who should be more worried about a UK withdrawal, the Nissan workers in Sunderland or the Mercedes workers in Stuttgart?

All of which should make Mary's final salvo all the more ridiculous:

 "Britain is heading out of Europe, and Ed Miliband looks suddenly like the only leader who can deflect it from that suicidal course."

What a load of piffle - let's get out and tell the voters the positive good news about Britain's future!