The Killer Argument

A small handful of the people making the case for Brexit base their arguments on a reasonably realistic appraisal of what options are genuinely available to Britain.

Far too many, however, put forward arguments which seem to imply that "leave" means something different according to who they are talking to, apparently imagining some kind of "best of all leave worlds" which has the advantages of each possible model of life outside the EU while ignoring the hard choices which would actually have to be made if Britain did vote to leave and the problems which would go with each.

The killer argument against this kind or romantic fantasy version of Brexit was put in an interview in the Guardian today by Europe minister David Lidington.

As he put it

“I do find it extraordinary that those who want Britain to leave the EU seem to hold to two utterly contradictory propositions at the same time. Their first belief is that inside the EU we cannot achieve any meaningful change and that too often the other countries are in some sort of nefarious conspiracy against our interests. But their second belief, which they hold equally firmly, is that outside the EU these very same countries and governments would rush to give us some new deal that has all the benefits of EU membership with none of the things that apply to others."


You can read the full article here.

I'm trying to filter out the mindless propaganda from both sides and still listening out for any signs that people can engage on the costs and benefits of the real options.

Comments

Jim said…
I must admit so far I have been very disappointed in both sides. You would have thought they would both by now know what they actually are campaigning for, but that does not seem to be the case.

To be honest if I knew very little about it, then on the stregnth of both campaigns I would quite happily stay at home on polling day.

Only reason I know which way I am going is that, as you know, i have spent the last 3-4 years plodding though the workings of the EU, the treaties, how things pan out, how they work etc. If there is one thing I can tell you from experience its "by god most of it is boring", so hardly anyone will put themselves through it.



Chris Whiteside said…
I think you have nailed it, Jim.

A small number of people on both sides have impressed me, but the amount of rubbish talked on both sides is deeply depressing.

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