Another Referendum view

It is appropriate that the year of The Referendum should be the year which remembers the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings and subsequent Norman Conquest.

As one very distinguished Medieval Historian, Sir Richard Southern, declared in 1966, the Norman Conquest was England's first entry into Europe. It ensured that England became part of the European Mediterranean world rather than the northern Scandinavian.

We now have to make a decision as to whether we should remain part of that world or go it alone. Like so many people faced with that decision I would have welcomed a list of objective factual statements explaining the consequences of staying in the European Union and the consequences of leaving from which we could make our own judgements.

Unfortunately such a list cannot exist because nobody knows for certain what the consequences will be. Instead we are faced with a range of assertions some of which are frankly outrageous and clearly intended to promote the personal interests of those making them. Consequently our final decision will be influenced by the judgements and opinions of those whom we trust and in whom we have confidence.

Although only twice in my life have I voted anything but Conservative I am disappointed by the Prime Minister and I regard the Chancellor of the Exchequer as someone straight from the world of the Borgias.

Conversely Boris Johnson is manifestly self-serving and it is difficult to see how anyone can take Farage seriously. However I recently read a very convincing article by David Owen advocating leaving. I heard one of my former pupils, Martin Lewis, speak very well on the subject. He certainly knows something about finance and economics and says he is in favour of remaining in – just.

I think that as an older person it is very important to listen to the views of younger people for it is they who will have to live with the consequences. Our daughter is strongly in favour of staying in and is greatly concerned about the consequences for our universities if we leave. Our son and his wife also wish to remain in.

The argument about recovering our sovereignty is on the face of it persuasive but I question how valid it really is. After all in a 'first past the post' electoral system I wonder how much influence we really have on who governs us. In a safe seat little is achieved by voting against the sitting member and the number of MP's in the Commons do not reflect accurately the number of votes cast by the electorate, many of whom are disillusioned by the whole system.

Personally I am not troubled by immigration but that might reflect where I live. The young man from the Philippines and the young man from Romania who work in Corbrook are certainly impressive. And while talk about a Third World War is perhaps unnecessarily alarmist I think that in face of Putin's Russia we are better to be part of Europe as well as NATO.

So after a great deal of thought and uncertainty I shall be voting to remain in. In doing so I am mindful of words of John Donne and of Benjamin Disraeli. In 1624 Donne wrote: "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less." In 1838 addressing the House of Commons Disraeli said: "The Continent will not suffer England to be the workshop of the world."

Roger Wickson
10th June 2016

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