Wigginton, Tring, Hertfordshire
6 June, 2016
Dear Electors and Friends,
In the last 6 months of conflict, as the British, Russian and American troops fought their bitter way to Berlin, I was conceived in love and optimism – two sentiments currently in short supply.
I was born in Merseyside into a world of relative peace, but short of food, often three families to a house and our playgrounds were the bombsites and ruined buildings. The consequences of war, conflict and political madness were never far away.
But it was also a world of confidence, of rebuilding – and of reconciliation. Across the dark and battered railways of Europe children’s choirs were exchanged, concerts held in the cathedral. Young people from Germany and Austria were put up in our crowded homes – children whose fathers might have bombed the city 10 years earlier.
That spirit of reconciliation was continent-wide. Britain has always been heavily involved in Europe. As an Occupying Power we maintained our Army of the Rhine in Germany until recently. We helped set up the institutions that became the EU, we contributed to new constitutions for new nations, we played a major role is drafting the Convention on Human Rights – we helped make Europe the community of democratic countries it had never been before.
Britain has a lot to be proud of. Our leadership role is recognised and appreciated by others. We should not now withdraw and slink away to who knows where, hand in hand with a bunch of right-wing misfits.
Conflict is not safely tucked away in the history books. Just talk to the people of Omagh or the Ukraine. If you think it’s safe now to weaken our security links with European countries then talk to the people of Brussels or Paris – or London.
Many people are worried about immigration, but at least as many people come in from non-EU countries as from the EU and that is something we do have complete control over. Do we really need so many wealthy Russians coming here to buy up London property? Do we need so many non-EU people coming here to wash cars? EU immigration is indeed uncontrolled, as too is the right of Brits to live and work abroad. But it is also often temporary. It’s very much a two-way street.
Don’t you think it’s better to have our main border in northern France rather than in southern Kent? And what are we supposed to do with the border with Ireland?
Immigration is now a global phenomenon with immense pressure from Asia and Africa. Europe must work together to control this. An isolated UK will not be able to control this by itself.
The economic progress of the Europe’s free economies has made us all better off and especially the UK. This helps us afford participation in defensive alliances like NATO and it supports the maintenance and development and of social services and the NHS.
We have come a long way in my lifetime, in building peace, prosperity, freedom to travel, to trade, to live where we choose – and nearly a million of us choose to live in Spain.
I am a former Export Sales Manager who experienced a divided Europe and the difficulties of trade before the EU. I queued up at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin and across various Iron Curtain crossing points – and for hours to get through almost any border anywhere. And all the time trade was at the mercy of some change to tariffs or customs duties or industrial standards or arbitary political decisions.
All that has gone – no visas, no tariffs, no customs, the same standards right across the world’s biggest trading bloc with 508 million customers.
We get all this – free trade, enhanced security, convenience of travel, workers for our farms, access to Europe for traded financial services, a market for our products. And all for a net cost – thanks in large part to the Thatcher Rebate – of just £2.60 per person per week. That’s 37 pence a day, or £1.50 a day for a family of four. We’d be crazy to leave.
Sir Alan Sugar put it very well. “It’s not rocket science. Leaving the EU will mean less trade plus less investment plus lower confidence – which equals fewer jobs, lower wages, less growth and a weaker country.”
He also said, “This is not a general election. It won’t come round again in 5 years time.” He’s right, this is a decision for a lifetime.
The politics of antagonism must not be allowed to return. In a globally connected world isolation and non-cooperation will not work.
I appeal to you all, for the sake of Britain, for Britain’s future and for that of our children and grandchildren, to choose to remain in Europe.
Choose peace, prosperity, security, co-operation and fellowship.
Choose the future, not an imagined past.
Choose to stay together, and together to build a better world.
Nick Hollinghurst
County Councillor for Tring.