Reasons to stay in Europe.

Sorry but I do feel strongly that we should stay as a European partner / friend / country in the European Union. In my view there are two over riding reasons. There are many more but these two reasons, I believe, are paramount.

Firstly – Peace. I am old enough to have an uncle killed in the First World War. I have spent a little time reading the gravestones in those massive cemeteries in Northern France. The wasted lives all for nothing because we inflicted a vindictive treaty on Germany and then 20 years later it all started again. What we have now is Jaw, Jaw and its a lot better than War, War. Ask any Syrian. It was one of the founding principles of the EU and still holds good today even if we do get exasperated with our politicians jaw, jawing. To preserve the peace we have to stay at the table.

Secondly – Risk. Whatever we are told or know continuing a known situation inherently carries less risk than changing it. In this case we have no significant precedent to guide us. In a very weak economy with speculators waiting at every side leaving the EU will be a very large risk indeed. Staying in will have its risks but we know far more about them. So why take such a massive risk when we can work positively with our friends to reduce the lesser risks of staying in?

Please don’t risk our peace, stay talking to our friends in Europe around the table.

Say in the EU.

Kerslake, IDS, Benefits and Nick.

I’m peeping over the parapet again. Brought on mainly by a renewed attempt to get elected to Birmingham City Council but also I feel the lemmings are getting much nearer the cliff these days. I’ve mentioned Kerslake and that’s not apropos the Birmingham report bad enough as that was. No its a reference to his later offering suggesting substantially more devolution to the regions / areas / communities. I’ve mentioned IDS and that’s really about a wake up call to the ruling conservative government – just how far can you go up the wrong road without losing more ministers?

I thought I’d mention benefits before they disappear entirely! And Nick refers to the husband of an “i” journalist, Rebecca, who writes movingly and honestly about her concerns / worries and frustrations of having a husband left severely handicapped after an accident.

I’ve put them all together because I think the only measure of a society that counts is how it treats its more vulnerable members. I think that it is only when society / communities get down to human size that they can be sufficiently relaxed to be able to deal with those people humanely. I think if I were to meet Nick and see him face to face it would be obvious what was needed (apart from the love and support of his wife). Its the love and support of the people around him who in their turn are loved and supported by the people around them who in their turn are loved and supported by the people around them who in their turn are loved and supported by the people around them; sorry is this a little repetitive?

Someone recently talking about a terrible time in a local hospital (just imagine!) recalled how it was the staff that got through that time. It was their commitment to the patients and that they (NHS staff) had the time and support (of their managers) that they could give the time and support (to their patients). Its a circle of love and support of which you will have your own numerous examples. And whats this got to do with politics? It is the essence of politics – it is why there is politics.

Politics is making it possible for us all to love and support each other in a civilised society. When we lose sight of that – we vote conservative!! No its more serious than that. When we lose sight of the why and the how that politics represents then we let others profit from the poor, the vulnerable and Kerslake, IDS, Benefits and Nick mean nothing any more.

So now go jump off the cliff but as we do; see the one smiling? That’s me, and there’s lots of others who did try to love and support each other. We’re smiling because that makes us happy.