Saturday 20 February 2016

What has the EU ever done for us?

The opinion polls on whether the UK will vote to stay in or leave the EU look very close. A large section of society passionately wants out, thanks in a big part to the relentless anti-EU stories rolling out of the right-wing press.

Their voices are often the loudest. So here is something you see more rarely. A defence of what EU membership has done for us.

And what has it brought?

Well, try:
..oh, and years of peace between European neighbours after centuries of bloodshed and the extraordinary political, social and economic transformation of 13 former dictatorships, now EU members, since 1980


So, let's have an honest debate.

The Tory-backing press, run by the likes of Rupert Murdoch, don't really care about UK sovereignty. They just know the EU is one of the sole entities large enough to regulate global corporations.

Despite its flaws, that is the value of the EU for millions of people that value social, economic and environmental rights that EU membership protects.

And that is the real debate: between those that want to see a race toward ultra low taxes, the break up of social and welfare systems and a race to the bottom on workers' rights and laws to protect the environment.... and those on the other had who want to live in a world which values more than the narrow pursuit of profit for the few at the very top.

The EU has its faults. But it is worth fighting for.