EU Remain campaign needs some big hitters from all the political parties

The Remain campaign is faltering and is failing to counter much of the propaganda  of the Leave campaigns. " Vote Leave" passion and misrepresentation of the facts is triumphing over reason and a hard headed consideration of why we should remain in the EU out of enlightened self-interest. It appears that the only passionate political voice to remain is coming from David Cameron. No other party leaders are setting aside factional interests to support him. The Labour party leadership is very lukewarm and the Liberal leadership seems embarrassed to raise its voice.

I am fearful that if no other leaders are prepared to make a passionate but cogent and reasoned case for remaining in the EU then Britain will vote to leave. We will then face government by people who have misrepresented the EU and how it operates to the British people.

The EU Commission does not and cannot dictate to any member state what to do. The European Council of Ministers and the European parliament make European Law. The Council of Ministers is the main power broker and it consists of the elected heads of government of all the member states. The EU Commission just acts like the British civil service.

The EU does not dictate to us how we run our affairs; we still retain the Monarchy, the House of Lords, the House of Commons, our own Judicial System, the established Church of England and the NHS. None of these institutions have been in any danger from the EU since we joined in 1973.

Silly myths about EU interference in our major laws or way of life have been perpetrated by malign politicians and newspapers, but now some of these have been debunked by the House of Commons Treasury Committee. The EU has not banned children under 8 from blowing up balloons. It has not banned Britain from re-cycling teabags and it has not legislated for a one size fits all coffin. It is time that we had a grown up debate devoid of pettifogging.

There are many problems which Britain and the EU have to solve. How do we replace the failed economic model of neo-liberalism and with what – Keynesianism, Democratic Socialism or enlightened Capitalism? How do we solve the abuse of corporate power? How do we provide good well paid jobs for all our citizens? How do we provide good health services and how do we pay for them? How do we provide for a good clean environment? How do we maintain the peace that the EU has promoted in Europe for the last 50 years?

We need to solve the problem of refugees. The only way we can stop this humanitarian crisis is to stop the wars. The EU did not start any war and it is disingenuous for “Brexiters” to claim that the EU is responsible for this almost insoluble humanitarian issue.

From a security point of view it is obvious that we need to co-operate fully with our European partners; but we will not be able to do this as effectively outside of the EU.

Britain and Europe are stronger if we tackle our common problems together. We all have a shared history. We share the same, cultural, social and political values.  We can solve all these problems together and make a more prosperous and peaceful future. Where is the “Brexiter” vision of the future? There isn't one. Waving the flag and crying that: “we have got the world’s 5^th biggest economy” is simply not good enough.

If we vote to leave the EU then what guarantee do we have that the politicians that replace David Cameron will pay much attention to Britain and its place in the world? Out of political malice the “Brexiters” might do nothing more than promote their own self-interest. Their political colours and attitudes have been exposed by their egregious misrepresentations.  Britain will be left alone without a vision for its future but worst of all its unemployed, sick and disabled will be left to fend for themselves but without hope.

The Remain politicians must rise to the challenge.  Britain’s future in the hands of the “Brexiters” looks bleak.