Pro-Market absurdities
Among the more classically ridiculous remarks made by members of the British Pro-Common Market faction must count that made by Mrs Shirley Williams in Germany over the weekend. The period of debate through which Britain is now going said Mrs Williams, is analogous to the agony of France through the Algerian war. How the comparison came into her silly mind must escape the most earnest analyst of even the most remarkable examples of modern political rhetoric. There is, of course — and the point must not be laboured too much — no comparison whatever between a, so far, reasonably civilised and peaceful argument in a civilised and democratic country about its future, and the long and futile and often barbarous struggle waged by the French in Algeria. However, the fact that Mrs Williams made so idiotic a comparison tells us a good deal about the pro-EEC mentality in Britain, especially considering the fact that she is usually judged to be one of the more high-minded and intelligent members of that lobby. So emotional and, indeed, hysterical is their approach to the coming referendum, that any argument whatsoever, and any statement, however far-fetched, will be exploited by them without regard either to intelligence or to logic. The hysteria of the pro-Marketeers is something their opponents must watch, and benefit from.
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