The "Head In The Sand" Approach

32 years ago today Labour – then (as now) the party of government – voted to leave the EEC. I can’t help but notice that we are still part of it, and arguably deeper entrenched in it than ever.

But that (blindingly obvious) point is not the one I want to make. What really struck me about that article is that 32 years ago the Labour party was actively debating what approach this country should take to European Unity. And in the mid-eighties, it was the question of Europe that helped tear the Labour party apart. Just as it did to the Tories in the mid-nineties. And in 2001 William Hague campaigned (somewhat disastrously) on the issue of keeping the pound. So why now, when nothing has changed, has the political world fallen silent on this crucial issue?

I’m not going to use this post to bang on about my views on Europe (although you can probably guess that they are sceptical to say the least) but rather to marvel at the silence that surrounds this fundamental area. Why is no-one willing to have a debate, or even a good old fashioned row, about Europe anymore?

I’ll concede (not least to avoid the wrath of the likes of DK and Trixy) that UKIP is trying to keep this issue in the public eye. But they are fighting a losing battle, what with the consensus that seems to exist between the three main parties that Europe should not be discussed under any circumstances and the oblique backing of this consensus by the media. The political parties running (or vying to run) this country and the media won’t stop banging on about climate change - and agreeing to combat something that is scientifically dubious at best* - but they won’t mention the issue of who is actually in control of this country and who will be in the future.

I have been thinking about exactly why – why would our political leaders and our media dodge this issue? And the reason is simple – they are scared of it. Regardless of whether you are arguing for or against the EU, it is a deeply divisive issue. It is about spending billions of pounds of the tax payer’s money. It is about who makes law for this country, and how accountable those law makers are. And it is fundamentally about the future of this country. The EU cannot help but be a controversial area of policy for the UK. And given the current crop of people in power in this country, controversy is the last thing they want to stir up.

This may yet prove to be Blair’s real legacy – a fear of debate and a fear of adopting strong positions. Blair has failed to take strong stands for fear of being unpopular and the only time he did – over the Iraq Invasion – he turned out to be wrong. The Tory leader is proving himself to be Blair lite – a spineless little shit who is afraid of offending anyone under any circumstances. And, at the risk of contravening the age discrimination legislation, the Lib Dem leader is a doddering old fool. Politics today is not about debating the future – it is about jumping on the latest bandwagon, especially if that bandwagon will allow you to advocate a tax hike.

The media could force politicians to debate the EU – if it wanted to. But the media no longer wants to inform and educate their users. It is far easier to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and go for the mind numbing bit of crap as a news story – preferably with a lurid edge. Hence we here endless amounts about Jade vs Shilpa, but nothing about the EU. Even if you move away from the tabloid press then there is still radio silence about the EU.

I don’t know how this glaring and alarming problem can be solved. We can hope that someone with political convictions actually gets into a leadership position in one of the main political parties, but that doesn’t seem likely for the foreseeable future. We can hope that UKIP gets some success (regardless of whether you are pro or against the EU) and therefore forces the parties to discuss the EU, but I am not sure that is going to happen just yet. And we can hope that the media rediscovers that the EU exists and is worth commenting on, but with a new series of Big Brother in the summer, that doesn’t seem very likely.

It should be the aspiration of any society to keep in moving forward, to grow and to develop. But that is the opposite of what is happening with the political class in the UK. Whereas 32 years ago the politicians were willing to take positions on fundamental issues like the EU, today they would rather stick their heads in the sand. And hope you don’t notice.

*I am trying to be even handed here, but climate change is simply another excuse to tax us. I have yet to see any proof whatsoever that there is a human cause for the marginal climate change we are experiencing. It is simply an excuse to make us feel guilty and therefore pay more tax for living a normal life.