There’s no ‘me’ in European Union

**Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband have been at it again, the Prime Minister claiming that his opponent does not sufficiently represent the people. The issue in question now is Britain’s involvement in the EU and the Eurosceptic Tories are starting to realise the amount of public support that exists for their position. So it seems a referendum may be held and much of the polling suggests an ‘out’ vote would gain a majority.**

It is one of those moments known as a ‘crisis in democracy.’ The Prime Minister’s government has not had a good showing so far and so they have to think politically; what is going to draw in the most future voters? The EU issue seems to be a real goldmine for them, as the insular nature of their public places them strongly on the side of less European involvement. However, despite the need for support, Mr Cameron is an intelligent man who knows that opting out of the EU will cause more trouble than it’s worth. In light of this, he has claimed repeatedly that his only aim is to redraw the lines between Britain and Europe, taking back some of the power from Brussels. The hope is that this would simultaneously appease the Eurosceptics while genuinely placing Britain in a firmer political position.

The catch is that it seems fairly obvious this can’t happen. Firstly, the powers that be in Brussels have a much bigger problem on their hands at the moment in the form of the Eurozone crisis. This does not seem to be the most appropriate time for Britain to be trying to forge itself a stronger position in the EU. Secondly, many of the other nation members think that our relationship with the EU is already too one-sided, viewing Britain as a self-interested country and arguing that they have ceded a lot to British since it joined the union. The continental countries are lined up against Britain, forcing our hand. Mr Cameron will not get the renegotiation that he is hoping for.

So left with the in or out choice, it has only to be hoped that the Prime Minister will find the determination to hold our place within the EU. It is a rare occasion when it can be argued that a politician needs to go against the public demands but the brutal truth is that the majority of Britons do not realise the dire consequences of a European exit. Of course, the idea of regulatory freedom and a less restricted financial sector is appealing. However, the damage to our trade would outweigh these benefits as any exports begin to face huge taxes, sectors of the manufacturing industry would begin to move away and business in general would look towards the continent. The main problem seems to be short-term thinking on the public behalf. It can only be hoped Mr Cameron is aware of this and will work hard to create a strong diplomatic relationships with the EU which is beneficial for all, not just Britain.