To be or not to be

AudlemOnline has received this article from Geoff Farr which puts his view of the forthcoming EU Referendum pretty stridently.

As this is likely to be a major debating point this year, we would be delighted to publish other viewpoints from readers. As always, send your contributions to editor@audlem.org and all will be considered for publication.

To be or not to be

That appears to be the question. Whether we should stay in the European Union or get out.

If history will offer us any pointers or guidance, we may consider that we have been ruled at one time or another by pretty well every nation that now wants to harness us to their will yet again.

Let's start with the French: William of Normandy took us over in 1066. He and his Plantagenet successors demanded our throne and took us to the cleaners until his later successors decided that they might like to become English and adopted our ways and language.

The French tried again with Napoleon, but he never got his foot firmly enough in the door. Though it wasn't for want of trying.

Then the Welsh had a go with greedy avaricious Henry Tudor. They are still dipping their bread in the gravy.
After the Tudors came the Scots in the person of the Stuarts. They lasted a few generations and gave up ruling us even if they continue milking us to this day.

Bloody Mary even gave our throne to her new husband a Spaniard. He tried to very hard with his Armada to force his will upon us.

We come now to the Germans (German George of Hanover) who in a sense continue to rule us and even if they do not themselves put their hands in our purse they take damn good care that their client States do. Mind you, it could have been worse if Adolf's gang had succeeded.

All in all (or should it be "At the end of the day" ) the whole lot have held us to ransom at one time or another. Now they have ganged up again with a few East European and Mediterranean States to make a more determined attempt to harness us to their will.

It is but a few weeks since we were delivering our commiserations to Paris, and rightly so, but I can't help wondering if their gratitude for our going to war twice in living memory on their behalf will be remembered when next their dock workers or fishermen close the Channel Ports to us because they are engaged in a domestic dispute.

We are currently hearing rather a lot about the Schengen agreement which does of course mean that we (the English) have to show our identity when entering France even if the other nations do not.

Flying to Cherbourg one day, a very officious man demanded our passports and aircraft papers. Seeing me rooting through my bag for my passport he sneeringly said: "Why didn't you sign the Schengen agreement, then it would not be nesseccary to bring your passports " I wonder what he thinks now of the Schengen agreement which opens his land to everyone in the European Union, good or bad, desirable or undesirable.

Moreover Italy and Greece get rid of surplus arrivals by giving them travelling papers valid in all Schengen countries. Was it such a brilliant idea when we now see EU states building fences and abandoning any pretence of Schengen.

Our Prime Minister is currently trying to convince these European people that we are good neighbours without considering that the French have no intention of giving us a fair crack of the whip, either now or in the future. He appears to believe that when he has made his mind up about what to do, we shall automatically follow like sheep. Does he not think we have the ability to make up our own minds? What arrogance! What cheek!

Though it is apparent that he has already made his mind up and is promoting the current charade as wisdom and statesmanship

On the last occasion that we were given a vote on the subject it was for a trading agreement, not a United States of Europe to be ruled by obscure bureaucrats living in Brussels.

What the hell are we doing to suitably respond to the three Eastern European states who are currently dictating to us what money we should give to their nationals whilst they are in our country. Cheeky buggers. Has no one thought to ask them what benefits they would bestow upon emigrants from England who might turn up on their doorstep?

Now let us consider the underlying invitation to Turkey to join the EU. Turkey isn't even in Europe but would come with another 75 million people, each with their begging bowl. What other reason would they have for wishing to join?.

If we are to believe what we are told then the only two nations that pay more in than they receive are Germany and UK. We currently pay in £10 billions a year more than we take out. (Lord Lawson Daily Mail 13/01/16).

All the others break even or receive more in pay-outs. Are we completely mad, or is it the people who should guard and guide us who are mad.

It is said that our Government is seeking an honest appraisal of our wishes. They did not do that on the occasions of the last two referenda in Wales or Scotland. In fact they manipulated we English by excluding us from the poll.

Are they now trying to perform a similar trick by (this time) moving money to the "Stay In " propaganda" and neglecting the" Get Out faction" ?

Why am I left feeling that our leaders do not seek the English opinion as they already have an opinion of their own, and are seeking to impose it on us. Moreover, our opinion cannot be trusted because we didn't attend Eton or Oxbridge.

In another matter related and parallel, Have you ever thought what a wealthy people we English would be if we spent our own money and refrained from sending it in barrow loads to:
1 Brussels
2 Strasbourg
3 India
4 China
5 Greece
6 The Caribbean
7 Somalia
8 North Korea
9 Afghanistan
10 South Sudan
11 Iraq
12 Turkmenistan
13 Uzbekistan
14 Libya
15 Eritrea
16 Yemen
17 Venezuela
18 Haiti
19 Guinea-Bissau
20 Angola
21 Syria
22 Burundi
23 Zimbabwe
24 Myanmar
25 Cambodia
26 Wales
27 Scotland
28 Ulster
(Daily Mail December 28.2015)
And probably many other places.

What is certain is that the people of the three times flooded Cumbria and Yorkshire could expect better help than they are currently getting and our NHS would not be hard up.
Has any one of that list of subsidised nations ever been heard to say "thank you"
Or even say" we shall think of you kindly in the future".

If anyone disagrees with what I have written, then I invite you to write a rebuttal. I am sure the editor will publish it.

Since I am 79 years old, I do not expect the outcome of the referendum to have much effect upon my life but I would not wish ill upon my successors.

Bye for now
Geoff
P.S.
The £10 billions a year bill amounts to £155 each for every man, woman and child. For what?

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