Banging on about Europe

I didn't join the Liberal Democrats in order (to use David Cameron's phrase) 'to bang on about Europe.' My main pre-occupation was building communities and quality public services.

I have met colleagues in the party though for whom this was the big "thing" that brought them into politics and for whom any tinge of Euro-scepticism smelt of heresy; any suggestion that the European project was going off the rails was unspeakable back-sliding.

This sensitivity always struck me as odd but as something to be aware of rather than to react to.

Liberals have always been internationalist and for free trade, peace and prosperity, but also for devolving power as far as possible. The EU could seem pointlessly prescriptive at times and any version of free trade that involves something as clunky as the Common Agricultural Policy has at least to be up for debate.

There was always a gap between what Liberals wanted from the EU and what they got. It therefore seemed to me reverse engineering to suggest as Jeremy Hardy did scathingly on the News Quiz that the test of whether you were a Liberal was how keen you were on the EU.

Now, however, I accept that I am doomed by some horrid quirk of fate to spend the rest of my political life "banging on about Europe". I used to take a wholly irrational pride in never having seen "The Sound of Music" - no small feat when you consider it's on TV every Christmas - and so it's the political equivalent for me of having to sing "The Hills are alive… etc" - morning, noon and night.

To save a little time you can see me doing it here:

There is though something that has sharpened my view. The choice on the EU was or should never have been carry on regardless, but reform or reject. Some on both sides of the Brexit vote despaired of reform, however, and made a calculated, on balance decision. Others, however, quite consciously turned their back on internationalism, free trade and co-operation across national boundaries - many out of fear, some out of suspicion, a few out of actual enmity. The same drivers drew American voters to Trump.

It's not always stupid to be fearful or suspicious and there are things that you definitely should hate but when political success is built around demonising the other and making your nation great (albeit more selfish) the world is heading for trouble.

Brexit symbolises a withdrawal from Pan-European co-operation in favour of pursuing enlightened self-interest elsewhere. On one level that may just be economically foolish but on another level it clearly plays to a little-Englander mentality that will serve us ill and has historically held us back in so many ways.

I guess we are at a historic juncture. That great internationalist Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary General of the UN, referring to the Zoroastian battle between good and evil said

"On the field where Ormuzd has challenged Ahriman to battle, he who chases away the dogs is wasting his time"

Banging on about Europe (and internationalism) is maybe what one has to do

* John Pugh is the MP for Southport and is Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Education Spokesperson.