While Christmas is supposedly a time of peace and harmony,
our feeble old world has not received this message, or if it has, fails to act upon
it. Conflict and discord are much in evidence; we need to be happy within our
own skins and that is as true of political as it is of personal matters. A
patient and civilised approach could resolve many of the clashes which so
bedevil us and usher in that elusive time of sweetness and light.
We Britons have been beset by regional discontents and yet
now once ultra-violent Northern Ireland has been relatively peaceful for 10
years. Scotland demonstrated that it wants more independence and this has been
in large part granted. The SNP professes to be dissatisfied but I believe most
Scots are happy with the autonomous arrangements.
The emerging 2016 controversy is Britain’s continuing
membership of the European Union. About half the UK wants the country to stay a
member, the rest favour “Brexit”. I belong at present to this latter camp. The
EU direction of travel, with more integration leading to common economic,
foreign and defence policies is not in Britain’s interest. Britain is far from
perfect but our open economy with its global market is unlike those on the
continent, our parliamentary institutions are well respected, our judiciary is
almost too independent and our executive is uncorrupt. Proud and jealous of our
sovereignty, we do not need some Brussels overview of our affairs nor strait-jackets
manufactured by Paris or Berlin.
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| Juncker and Cameron: seldom a meeting of mind |
As for the Euro, we remember Nicholas Ridley’s prophetic
words in 1990 (before being forced to resign from Thatcher’s cabinet): A German racket designed to take over the
whole of Europe. The impoverishment of Mediterranean Europe to the benefit
of Northern countries duly followed and the failed dogma of Austerity was
rammed down the throats of weaker states. The banking crisis in 2008, the
near-collapse of Greece and the crass mismanagement of the migrant crisis
undermined any residual confidence in the good sense of the bloc. Cameron, with
his very limited and irrelevant “re-negotiation” has missed the depth of
feeling engendered by European claims of supranational rights. The mischief of
Europe is not simply a matter that can be resolved by opt-outs, sleight of hand
or modifications in procedure. Only substantive repatriation of powers will
meet the bill: we wish no less than to reclaim our birth-right. I earnestly hope Britain votes for exit and
then negotiates an amicable divorce from the European Union.
We wish Europe well, but we simply do not fit in. A
centralised Europe with common fiscal, banking and political institutions may
well prosper and overcome her present stagnation. Inevitably the constituent
nations will steadily lose sovereignty as decisions are taken on a majority
basis and economies of scale make their demands. Britain’s presence would be
desirable for Europe at one level but disruptive at another and we are mutually
better out of it.
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| ISIL on the march |
The highly destructive war in Syria defies much hope of a
rationally negotiated solution. Assad is a blood-stained dictator (like most
Arab leaders) and deserves to fall but ISIL is even worse and it must be
eliminated or emasculated. Only Syrians and Iraqis can achieve this; the West
belongs on the military side-lines and cannot become more deeply committed.
Russia, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia should concentrate on active diplomacy with
the other powers. The Muslim world used to be relatively tolerant and certainly
Sunni and Shia lived alongside each other. In recent years there has been a
wholly unnecessary polarisation of the confessional divide which has existed
1,400 years. Only Muslims can resolve this. More ominously for Christian
minorities, only yesterday the Sultan of Brunei announced criminal penalties on
those observing their faith, a most retrograde step but a straw in the Islamic
wind.
It takes a tragically long time for enmities to be overcome.
Israel and Palestine are still at daggers drawn, India and Pakistan are not
reconciled, Korea is still divided, China and Japan view each other with
visceral suspicion. Yet France and Germany embrace, the US moves towards Cuba
and South Africa bravely aspires to be The
Rainbow Nation. I believe Obama will be succeeded by a Republican President
(not Trump, I pray!) and the Republicans tend to be more pro-active in foreign
affairs. Let them use US influence for the promotion of international
cooperation and may 2016 herald a safer and more free world.
SMD
23.12.15
Text Copyright © Sidney Donald 2015
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