As party leader, how would you promote the Lib Dems’ essentially pro-European message in an electorally attractive way?
This is the million-Euro question in British politics! How to promote the strengths and virtues of European integration to an electorate subject to a relentless barrage of misinformation about the EU, from politicians and the media alike, remains one of the greatest challenges we face.
There is no easy answer. Even if we present our case more effectively, we still have to face the fact that there are entrenched anti European interests in the British media, and the EU is going through a phase of pronounced uncertainty which makes it easier for Eurosceptics to make a noise.
But we clearly need to assert the underlying rationale for European integration – peace, prosperity, sustainability – with greater clarity and self confidence. It is my strongly held view that in a globalised world – where we face such acute new environmental and security threats – the case for coherent, collective EU action is even more compelling than when the EC was founded in the 1950s. The suggestion that European integration is somehow “out of date” is one of the most absurd allegations made by our opponents. The EU, whilst by no means perfect, is crucial to addressing many of our most urgent contemporary challenges.
At the same time, we should marry our advocacy of European integration to a forthright reformist agenda in which we take the lead in arguing for the reform and improvement of the EU. This, in my view, flows naturally from our pro Europeanism: as advocates of the EU, we want it to act as legitimately and effectively as possible. That is why I have always strongly supported the action of our MEPs in highlighting the unacceptable levels of secrecy in the EU Council of Ministers and the real facts behind the way in which EU monies are spent, and misspent. The draft EU Constitution itself, of course, shaped heavily by Lib Dems on the Convention, included many reformist ideas which I continue to strongly support (for example greater clarity on the EU’s functions, greater decision making transparency, more budgetary accountability etc).
By blending our historical role as outspoken advocates of European integration with leadership in arguing for reforms in the EU, my objective would be that the Lib Dems would remain the most articulate and thoughtful pro European political party in Britain.
