Those who sneer at beauty soon forget how to love. And when we forget how to love we lose compassion, tolerance and understanding. The European idea is beautiful, a beautiful idea and aspiration. Perhaps it is the sheer elegance and colour of European history, or perhaps its philosophy and literature. I note that both Wales and Scotland have a long History of connection with Europe that makes me loath the sharp features of the little Englanders that exist both with within the UK as a whole. I see it on the face of Nigel Farage, on the sharp and savage faces of the Tory Euro-sceptics. Their rejection of Europe is based on ignorance, a rejection of cosmopolitan views but behind it is the smugness and superiority of their belief that they no best, that all these foreign ides are rubbish and not worth looking at .
Yet despite all of this I sense a disquiet and discover that there is a stench fixing itself to both sides in the coming European Referendum. The Yes side is dominated by business, the establish, the ex prime ministers, Blair, Brown and Major, white males isolated from the ordinary people of this country. The people who used the stench of fear to frighten the Scot's from voting Yes. This will not appeal to the ordinary working class communities who are the key to staying in Europe. It is with these communities that the European project will be won or lost. I dont see any of the business moguls, the exprimeministers club mention the things that matter to ordinary people , such as environmental legislation, the protection of employment rights and the rich tapestry of cultural, philosophical and shared historical links. These establishment figures on the Yes side repulse me yet I must hold my nose and vote Yes. There must be a radical, environmental, left wing, decentralised campaign that makes clear it wants a People's Europe, a Social Europe. This is the way to win our place in Europe. It must be a Europe that is anti austerity, a Europe of the regions and a Europe of Social justice.
Then we have the stench from the the No campaign, the fear coming from Ukip, the crypto fascists, the neo-powellites, the crude nationalists, the industrialists wanting to destroy peoples rights over their work, their environment and their senses of History. This no campaign will use fear of migrants, fear of a superstate and fear of the future to promote a No Vote. If Europe is bad then the demands of a globalist world will be worse. The IMF, NAFTA , and other organisations would make the treatment of Greece by the EU look a picnic. Look at how the USA have treated Mexico and other countries.
I look at the No campaign and I am doubly repulsed. There is no real choice I have to vote Yes to stay in Europe. Over Breakfast this morning we were talking about this issue. Hayley made the point that what is essential is that we fight austerity first and foremost. To me what is clear that throughout Europe anti-austerity is on the rise.....it may be difficult to promote it within the EU but it is quite clear to me that outside of the EU it will be infinitely more difficult...but I am afraid it does not take away the stench yet from both the Yes and the No campaign. At least Heath's generation remembered the site of a disturbed and broken Europe emerging from World War 2. Heath fought oh the republican side during the Spanish Civil side. In 2015 the neofascists are voting for a Brexirt.
The No campaign is a Devil's cabal of old right wing , racist, nationalist and anti Semitic groups with a smattering of an old anti European left wing activists keen to destroy a positive European perspective and while I cant stop thinking about and sensing certain similarities of this smell of fear coming from both sides that makes us fear the other, the migrant and the unknown. Its going to be an year in politics . The referendum will take UKIP into the Welsh Assembly. It will snuff out the Liberal Democrats and bring home to Plaid the unpalatable truth that many of the supporters they had in the first Assembly election, throughout the Valleys of South Wales have now and will in future vote UKIP. Welsh Labour will too be damaged by UKIP the Corbynistas have not come to Wales. Only the Greens now hold the radical torch and we will see a much wider range of representation in Cardiff bay come May. In Neath a nascent support Group for the Syrian Refugees coming to the area has sprung up and only Green party members Plaid members (including Leanne Wood) and a few honourable exceptions from Labour like Councillor Andy Jenkins has joined the group. We have heard nothing from either of our MPs Stephen Kinnock or Christina Rees, , where is Peter Black? that well know Liberal ? or any of the so-called Independents who put “People before Politics” Perhaps they put the fear of losing votes before what is right and proper. And I am deeply sick at heart..........
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