Winston Churchill once famously remarked “We must aim at nothing less than the Union of Europe as a whole”.
Often quoted by Europhiles to twist the great Statesman’s legacy – they also forget Churchill also stated ‘If Britain must choose between Europe and the open sea, she must always choose the open sea!’
While some version of ‘ever closer union’ may be suitable for nations which may be similar, Britain’s best interests lie in mutual cooperation, and not in captivity by an ever-expanding federal European Superstate. This is something our transatlantic allies in the United States ought to remember.
US President Barack Obama recently said: “Having the United Kingdom in the European Union gives us much greater confidence about the strength of the transatlantic union.” thereby charging headlong into the minefield of Anglo-European relations. The Great British public must not be fooled by such impulsive comments.
As the author of the 4-volume ‘A History of the English Speaking Peoples’, and profuse support for the Commonwealth shows, the transatlantic union is an idea Churchill truly believed in. Obama’s bizarre connection between what used to be called the ‘Special Relationship’ between the United Kingdom and the United States – and the expanding EU federal Superstate is completely dishonest. In no way does the political structure of the EU assist in the relationship and security between the UK and US.
In addition to the collective memory loss which lies over the importance of NATO and Britain’s valuable historical links, US officials would be wise to realise the EU aims to gradually position itself as a rival to the US, not as partner.
The history of anti-Americanism among federalists is no secret. While the Eurocrats insist the EU is an integral part of Western security, their real goal is for Europe to emerge as a single continental power. This is astonishingly referred to as the ‘new age of empires’, as quoted in a report produced by the pro-EU think tank Notre Europe.
This does beg the question: “Why would Obama express such a lie when he knows the EU wishes to supplant US power?”
Firstly, as the national broadsheets have consistently reported, the Obama administration has not handed Britain the warmest of welcomes. More importantly however, it is his use of the deceptive phrase ‘Special Relationship’ in this instance, when all he wants to do is assist US trade interests in Europe.
As US trade representatives seek to speed up the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the US and EU, Cameron and Obama will be ratcheting up the rhetoric and misleading the public in order to secure the deal – even though there is huge debate about whether it is good for Britain – especially the NHS and the influence granted to large corporations.
Hopefully, some traction will gather against Obama’s view where world powers will soon be competing in large supranational blocs. Dr Gardiner, a director of the influential Heritage Foundation based in Washington said earlier this year: “The biggest threat to the Special Relationship is the European project itself, exemplified by the grandiose dreams of a European superstate.”
While Obama is happy to repeat the rehearsed lines of the Special Relationship to overcome Eurosceptic opinion in Britain, it is more insulting when his own indifference to the idea is glaringly obvious.
Europe remains in political confusion and economically volatile. The public ought to scrutinise the pro-EU claims in which a Brexit would somehow damage our transatlantic links. Europe’s stability in the post-war order was supported by US military and financial aid in the first place. It would not be an outrageous claim to say the federalists remain somewhat bitter, and they are certainly ungrateful for the help they benefited from.
With the decline of the Soviet Union in the 1980’s, and the following realisation in which American-backed power mattered less to Europe, arch integrationists such as Jacques Delors sought to shift the European Community as a counterweight and competitor to our US allies, not an integral ally.
While Gaullist anti-Americans celebrate the decline of US power, and Obama himself claims a straitjacketed Britain in the EU is favourable to our links outside Europe, it becomes clear how vital the incoming In/Out referendum will be.
Britain can co-operate and thrive economically in the world. However the only way to distance ourselves from the ideological dreams of the Eurocrats is to leave the EU. The political aspirations of the integrationists will never disappear, we must Get Britain Out.
Chris Muspratt is a researcher for the cross-party grassroots Eurosceptic campaign group Get Britain Out