Conservative MP Richard Ottaway puts a defence for Britain staying in the EU, the case is looking rather shaky under the current set up, the EU is broken and unless political will and vision comes forward, it will implode from within

Dear All

I like the idea of a European Union, always have, it has much merit.

However 27 countries show if anything, that reform is needed, when Richard Ottaway, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and MP for Croydon South stood up and gave his “defence”, he says he got a lot of flak for it.

The EU is broken, and the Euro crisis has exposed a terrible weakness, who would have thought we would have heard in 2013, that Greek pensioners were looking for food in bins?

Can a spirited defence be made by Richard Ottaway on that bunny?

Nein, Non, No!

What about the rise of food banks in this country?

There is the trade aspect which benefits the UK, but what are we losing, and is that more important?

Whether we are in or out, London remains a world financial centre.

As to the peace argument, times are more enlightened than the 1930’s, and of course everyone is signed up to NATO.

UKIP is now the new kid on the block, they like the genie can’t be put back in the bottle, and they will develop their appeal, as they grow, they will take votes from different sections of the left and right.

Although 20 of Britain’s most eminent business leaders penned a letter to the Independent stating that the "economic case to stay in the EU is overwhelming".

Let’s get it right, that’s 20 votes! And only 20 votes!

People especially those at the bottom of society see austerity, cuts to services, higher population, their lack of advancement, and a host of other issues like housing, and they see control being lost.

They aren’t getting help from anyone.

UKIP are the ones doing the talking now, when was the last time something meaningful was done in Europe by the Government?

And then that trickled down to the ordinary punter who could see the nuts and bolts, generally things happen, and to the public, it is just business as usual, to them nothing changed.

There is a good case for staying in the EU and there could be made a good case for leaving it, however, people look East and South and see chaos. The Euro virus is moving northwards, that needs immediate attention.

A temp fix is to split the Euro into two currencies, Euro North and Euro South, others have floated that idea in the past, dogma has killed fixing the current problems.

But I would like to come to my pet idea, it is the EU internal immigration policy, the broad brush, if you wish to ‘live and work’ in another EU country, you must have certain resources. This would be done on a country by country basis, in wealthier countries; you would need more assets than say the lesser ones.

If the mainstream parties are not careful, the old joke of ‘the people have spoken, the Bar Stewards’ will be coming to a venue near you soon.

And as they say in cricket…. You’re out (loudly)!

I hope it doesn’t come to that, but the whole EU project needs fixed.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University