Timothy Garton Ash advocates the UK waiting inertly in the wings before holding a referendum on whether to quit or remain in the worsening social and economic shambles that is austerity Europe, something he deems necessary to save the eurozone a la Merkel (Comment, 20 December). Not surprisingly, public support for this kind of EU is tumbling and in response there is the beginning of discussions about changing the direction of the continent. The damaging single market, with its open borders for goods, money and people, allowed German banks to lend to Greeks to import German cars they couldn't afford, and pensioners and the less well off are now being made to pay. The flow of people is increasing tensions across the continent.
The alternative is for Europe to become a co-operative grouping of countries that provides a secure future for its people. Cross-border issues such as climate change, pollution and crime require intra-European co-operation, but the flow of goods, money and people must be slowed dramatically to enable nations to take back control of their future and protect their citizens.
If this is thought too radical a debate for Westminster politicians, then they should consider the election implications of recent polling showing that immigration is a bigger cause for people voting Ukip than arcane discussions about European governance. Nigel Farage must be licking his lips in anticipation of countless Labour as well as Conservative voters flocking to Ukip every time he claims that 27 million Bulgarians and Romanians can in 2014 come to the UK to work, claim benefits and use the NHS.
So when discussing an in/out referendum, let's have a debate as soon as possible about what treaty changes will allow all European countries to regain control of the movement of money, goods and people across their borders. The alternative is likely to be an insecure population, ever more susceptible to the lure of the extreme right; the strutting fascists in Athens should be a warning to us all.
Colin Hines
Author, Progressive Protectionism (forthcoming)
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