We did not hear from the usual pro Remain contributors to this site what kind of Remain they wanted. So let’s try another approach to get them talking about the EU. Here is a simple test of how pro EU membership you really are.
- Do you want the UK to join the Euro soon?
- Do you want the UK to join Schengen and have common borders with the EU?
- Do you want the common EU defence and security identity to develop, so our forces typically are deployed for EU led missions?
- Do you want a larger EU budget, with more transfers to the poorer countries?
- Do you think the UK should reduce its current special abatement of contributions, to help the wider EU?
- Do you welcome the long term aim of the EU’s ever closer union which is political union?
If you answer Yes to all six then you are indeed a keen advocate of EU membership and understand its full implications. If you say No to all these then maybe you should accept the UK cannot remain in the present EU, with so little in common with the aims and aspirations of the other members. Given the direction of travel and the legal form of the EU disagreeing with any one of these propositions makes the UK’s position difficult and means we cannot be at heart of the project. Nor can we claim to be a leading influence on the EU if we disagree with these common strands of EU thinking.
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