Engage with progress through technology and trade!

When serving my apprenticeship, I was the Young Liberal representative on the Keep Rugby in Europe campaign in 1975 for the first European referendum. We discussed every issue discussed in 2016 except for immigration, then seen as a Commonwealth issue. Although the formal vote was about trade, Peace was a significant part of the discussion. so was the end of the nation state. It is material to note that the generations that actually fought in the two World Wars helped to provide a 2:1 majority for Europe. They were largely gone in 2016. So, it is not true to claim that 1975 was about a trade deal. It is one of the many lies promoted by the UKIP Leavers in particular. The end of the nation state was discussed at serious length. Enoch Powell himself was gracious enough to acknowledge the point as the results came in. (Link at end). UKIP campaigners lied directly about the content of the 1975 referendum campaign saying that it was exclusively about the Common Market. For many voters I m...

In 2015, before the date for the referendum was set and the campaign began, HM Queen Elizabeth II, made a speech in Germany unifying the subjects of this blog. Europe, Russia and indeed Wales and industrial history. I am not particularly a Monarchist (except that the alternatives seem worse) but the speech is definitely worthy of attention for its subject matter Link at end). In the speech, Her Majesty makes strong statements in favour of European unity without mentioning specific institutions such as the EU, as is customary but her discussion of unity following war is plain. It is also very noteworthy that she discusses not just the UK and Germany, the countries involved in the state visit but also the Russian borderlands, in particular Konigsberg and Donetsk. Places which have not benefited from the unity and peace created by the EU. She points out the Welsh involvement in setting up the Donbass as well as claiming Immanuel Kant as a Scot. Significantly, the Crimea was not menti...