LETTERS Playing the Euro-game
Sir: I recently spent a total of three hours waiting in a British Rail travel-centre queue in the course of making travel arrangements to various EEC countries. During this ludicrous ordeal I much enjoyed your leader 'The Politics of 1992' (30 July).
However, although the earlier part is typically balanced and well argued, to- wards the end you appear to have got carried away by unworthy and unusual sarcasm. Three points illustrate the weak- ness of the last paragraph.
Firstly, it is unreasonably dismissive even in jest — to say that the views of Conservative MEPs should be disregarded. More than anyone else in or out of the political system, they have a clear idea of the anxieties and apprehensions about 1992. As a vital part of their duties, they regularly have their ears bent, and fre- quently twisted off, by doorstep comment in this vein.
Secondly, there have already been im- portant compromises of all aspects of British sovereignty during the last half century. These have been no more than imaginative, pragmatic reactions to inter- national developments. The most obvious and spectacular success of this kind is the British participation in Nato.
Thirdly, and most important, not only is it defeatist to harp on the negative aspects of Community membership, it also dimi- nishes Britain's standing in Europe. The alarmist position adopted by many back- benchers of both major parties (and the Opposition front bench), who find it appropriate to play — for whatever reason — to anxious or xenophobic constituency galleries, weakens the negotiating power of the Prime Minister and other ministers who meet in the Council. De Gaulle rejected the United Kingdom's original application because at best it would mean two cocks in the hen-run and at worst only one cock, and that would not be France. There is a difference between inisisting on suitable independence in respect of British practices and traditions which have no bearing on concerted European endeavour and adopting an lukewarm public attitude which will damage Britain's influence in Europe.
Simon Mort
Prospective European Parliamentary Candidate (Conservative) Sheffield, 193 Baslow Road, Sheffield
Previous page
