As both campaigns, which seem splintered and multi headed, begin to open up their stalls, they reveal somewhat unconvincing wares, which can easily be criticised by the other side, whichever it is, but which has nothing more convincing to offer. We can only hope things will improve when Cameron declares his weird negotiations to be a success and his superficial improvements to be an historic triumph, worthy of an endorsement in the form of a vote to Remain.
The drivers of this decision are not detail but emotion. Emotionally you are either for Europe or against it. For some the emotion is rather feeble so they are open to persuasion that the other course is worth following, but nothing thus far said by anyone offers such a temptation. It may be because, as this Blog believes, that Europe is bigger than the sum of its parts or the list of its regulations. Or it could be because you believe that we Brits are an island people who like to stand alone, forging our way in the world where opportunity takes us, beholden to none but each other. In both contexts a tweak here or a change there is really not the point.
The odd thing is that the decision is actually not about Britain at all. It is about Europe. For it is beginning to dawn that those remaining together in the EU will be much more damaged by Britain walking off the set, than Britain itself. The project abandoned by its second largest contributor, its oldest democracy, the country where more EU citizens wish to migrate to work to than all the other member countries put together, and its foremost military power, makes that project look rickety and fragile, with a future which may not be certain. Indeed to survive at all it will have to fall in line behind the bidding of its internal economic superpower, Germany. Instead of Germany remaining part of Europe, Europe will become part of Germany.
Is that what you want?
