Email
March 5, 2016
Dear Sir / Madam
I have been listening carefully to the arguments put forward both for “Remain” and “Leave” the European Union. I have noticed, when responsible people give their views, that almost every argument for “Remain” contains the phrase “better off within a reformed EU”. I watched Mr Cameron failing spectacularly to organise any lasting “reform” in our relationship with the EU so why do they keep mentioning this?
It begins to look a little like a “get out clause” in that if “Remain” wins, and things continue as dire and undemocratic as they are at present, the “Remain” team has a “not our fault – they wouldn’t reform” mantra ready to use – and the referendum would have gained nothing at all.
Another thing I’ve noticed is the “Be afraid. Be very afraid” theme – supported by the threatening behaviour of the French to ship The Jungle from Calais to Dover. I have always been told that when a person has no good arguments to support their assertions, the discussion moves to the use of personal insults and scare mongering. What is going on here?
I thought we in Spain might be better off to “Remain”, but friends remind me of the absence of democracy in the EU, the bloated and unelected plutocracy giving themselves huge pay, expenses and pensions while refusing to produce annual accounts which can be signed off by any reputable auditor, and I find I still cannot see with any clarity which way to vote.
I really like the idea of the Economic Union, it has such a lot going for it. Someone pointed out once that, having signed the Maastricht Treaty (as we have done), a country can only re-form their alliance with the EU by leaving it and starting again. Is this true? If so, I think we should be told.
Please keep up the good work of keeping us informed.
Yours faithfully
Penelope Taylor