Now the official date of Britain’s long-awaited European Union (EU) referendum has been confirmed, and the campaigning has begun, we all knew the EU-propaganda machine would crank itself up a notch or two.
In a style which has started to resemble George Orwell’s 1984, billboards and newspaper advertisements are starting to contain flags and slogans heavily promoting the European Union.
One of the most patronising of all is one which has been popping-up in train stations all around London. The posters read as follows:
‘There’s beef. There’s Scottish beef. Then there’s Scotch beef.’
The Scots are a proud people. It is well known their country has plenty to offer the world – from famous whiskies, as well as some of the best quality beef in the world. They will NOT be pleased to see the following tagline in the bottom right corner of these posters, above the European Union flag:
‘Enjoy, it’s from Europe’!
‘From Europe’ – as if the beef was a gift from the EU – grown by the hands of the overpaid, suit-wearing, unelected bureaucrats in Brussels and given to the people of Scotland. The advert, as if deliberately designed to satisfy the many in Britain with a negative view of the EU, clearly deceives the public and gives the impression Scotch beef would not exist if it was not for the EU!
This is just one of many examples where the EU has planted their branding on British (and now specifically Scottish goods) in an obvious attempt at winning over support in the run up to the British referendum.
Other similar adverts have been seen in newspapers around the country – including in the free Metro newspaper, handed out at major train stations across the country every morning. Like the billboards described above, small EU brandings have been sneaking their way into our daily commutes – usually reading ‘Campaign financed with the aid from the European Union.’
But these adverts are far from the first time Brussels has tried to force its branding onto the public.
At the start of 2015 it was reported British taxpayers were funding propaganda for school children, designed to push them into supporting the European Union. In the UK, a free colouring book called The Mystery of the Golden Stars was made available – free of charge – to schools and similar organisations. Many others are now available to download online, including a ‘Europe and you – EU capitals colouring book.’ – a blatant attempt at forcing EU propaganda on our children.
As well as this, billboards have started to go up around building sites and farmland around the UK – again with glaringly obvious EU-branding. The landowners can also be forced to pay heavy fines if they refuse to put up the permanent advertisements, which the EU states, must be clearly visible to the public.
Brussels have said they will continue to promote the European Union like this throughout the referendum campaign. Their reasoning – they say they always promote the EU, referendum or no referendum. This means voters now face being bombarded with huge amounts of pro-EU propaganda leading up to the vote on June 23rd – most of which will be false.
There is also no limit as to how much Brussels can spend on efforts to keep Britain in the EU. We face a huge cap on how much the Leave campaigns can spend, but the EU – open wallets!
There have also been reports the European Commission have formed a task force in Brussels to oversee an “information” campaign in the run-up to the referendum. The advertisement suggesting Scotch beef is European is a cynical, deliberate, sneaky and unfair attempt to con the public into voting to stay in the EU – and clearly originates from the European Commission! Similar advertisements were seen coming up to the referendum in Croatia in 2012. These unfortunately led to the country joining the EU after voters believed all the fabrications and backed EU membership.
It is certain this sort of EU propaganda in advertising will become more prominent and much more noticeable over the next few months. The EU has far more to lose than Britain. They know this could start the crumbling of the foundations of their federal dream. The Great British Public are far more intelligent than Brussels or David Cameron believes and will not get sucked in by a constant stream of lies.
Britain will survive outside of the EU – just like we did before we joined the then Common Market. British farms, building sites and Scotch beef will all continue to survive – regardless of how much David Cameron and the EU try to tell us differently.
It is time to ignore the lies and propaganda, and ensure we all vote to Get Britain Out of the EU when the most important vote in the last 100 years takes place on June 23rd.
Rob Comley is a researcher for the cross-party grassroots Eurosceptic campaign group Get Britain Out.
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