Tuesday 13 October 2015

Wales will need its own Pro-EU campaign.


 John Dixon over at Borthlas is is usual erudite self when commenting on the forthcoming (though we do nor know when) European In-Out ) referendum..

He points out that those expected to lead the campaign to remain does not fill those who wish to do so with confidence.

John writes.

I do wonder though about the strategy of the ‘in’ camp in the names that they’re putting forward.  It looks like the product of some sort of bubble-think to me.  I fear that an unholy alliance of Blair, Brown, Major and Cameron might actually end up having quite the opposite effect of that intended.
And over at Bella Caledonia Jim Kerr has a similar worry

 As a socialist and a yesser, I’ve often been puzzled at the hostility of the Scottish far left, towards the EU and I can’t see that hostility dimming now we know that the remain campaign will be headed by three former prime ministers, John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, none of whom are fondly remembered by many yessers, especially not Blair and Brown. With a name like Britain Stronger Together, the remain campaign is beginning to feel uneasily familiar.

Which leads to  the suggestion that Wales and Scotland should have their own remain and out campaigns.

Obviously there will be some element of Welsh and Scottish issues in the UK campaign but the reality of the effect on these Nations if the UK was to leave will in all likelihood be lost.l

During the first EU Referendum Plaid put forward  a comprehensive  argument for a Leave vote which was so well presented that those in the Labour who were hostile to what was the the EEC  used it .

Times have changed and Plaid are likely to push for a Stay voter.

In that the case for Wales to remain must be made .

For those on the Left who are thinking of voting to leave I present   the Nightmare scenario of Scotland voting to remain against an overall UK wide vote to leave.

This could easily see a second Independence referendum which will be run.

This will lead to Wales being permanently under Tories in England outside any EU protection and who may well legislate to prevent any Welsh Independence referendum  no matter how high the support is.

 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

there's a wealth of statistical evidence to show that wales gets far more out of the eu than we put in (the fact that successive welsh governments have squandered eu objective one money is another matter) similarly welsh companies enjoy a lot of tariff free trade with the eu.

the irony of the british nationalist types who are most keen to leave the eu is that if theres a no vote the british state will cease to exist in a few years time - the snp will stage and win another independence referendum. yes there's an overwhelming case for separate yes campaigns in wales and scotland - using a union jack as the main symbol for staying in is not likely to go down so well in scotland and wales.