Cliff Mitchell, Author at Central Bylines

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Has the WHO allowed the drinks industry to water down its alcohol plan?

The new Education White Paper – is it really ‘Opportunity for All’?

Mental Health Awareness Week: 9th-15th May

The NI Protocol and the Brexit ultras

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This Writer’s Life: a diary
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Bad news for Newark: 110 jobs lost as town’s top employer withdraws to the EU

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Reflections on Boris Johnson’s ‘high skill, high wage future’ speech

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Reflections on Boris Johnson’s ‘high skill, high wage future’ speech

Exactly what does “Next” mean for E.on?
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The speed freak, law-breaking crime commissioner

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Chernobyl 27 April 2022

Allens Cross Community Association

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Closing days of the local elections: what are the candidates saying in Allens Cross?

What has my council done for me? Pt. 4: Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour
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Cliff Mitchell

Leek

East Midlands

Leek – the French connection

by Cliff Mitchell

23 December 2021

Leek is a strange place therefore to find a plaque “To the memory of sons of France” but the connections...

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Adobe Stock - By creativeneko

Lost Opportunities List

The Lost Opportunities List

by Cliff Mitchell

21 September 2021

Since 1 January 2021 the European Union has not stood still. It continues to offer new opportunities, funding and benefits...

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Stoke on Trent Lidice memorial

Human interest

The heart of Stoke lies in Lidice

by Cliff Mitchell

The village of Lidice stands today as a symbol of the incredible power of spirit to the people of Stoke...

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Graph of exports of goods

Brexit

The Midlands After Brexit

by Cliff Mitchell

Trade figures recently released for the first quarter of 2021 (1Q2021) provide worrying clues as to the impact of both...

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Image: composite of official MP portraits licensed under Creative Commons

East Midlands

The democracy myth

by Cliff Mitchell

As a UK elector you have zero say in the House of Lords and absolutely no democratic control over their...

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Where are you on rejoin? Cliff Mitchell For many of us, it is axiomatic that leaving the EU was a huge mistake that will damage our country and diminish our rights as citizens. Our future, we believe, must be as part of the EU so we can work together to address the very real and massive issues we face nationally and internationally. The UK has the potential to be a real force for good in the world but not if we continue down a path of right-wing populism and English exceptionalism. Some argue that now is not the time to campaign to rejoin the EU: it’s too soon, people have had enough of Brexit, we’ll be branded as sore ‘Remoaners’, we have to be patient, it’s going to be a long process to persuade public opinion of the case for rejoining. Others argue that if we believe our future lies with the EU, we should say so now, loudly and clearly, giving like-minded people a rallying voice and hope for a better tomorrow. Experience of street campaigning over recent years does suggest one thing: being crystal clear about your own position leads to a much more constructive debate with those who disagree. Your arguments are easily undermined if your position is unclear or ambiguous. Arguing for a People’s Vote for example was unconvincing and easily dismissed if you were unwilling to be clear about your own position on remain versus leave. It’s also hard to be passionate about an ambiguous position. The Leave campaign was successful based on stirring people’s emotions rather than presenting data and rational argument and there is still plenty of passion generated by Brexit just waiting to be channelled. Can that passion be sustained over a long, steady campaign for gradual, closer alignment with the EU? Will it burn itself out in a short rejoin now campaign that may not be successful? If we believe in the UK as a constructive partner in the biggest peace project in history, in working together with diverse people to make the world a better place, that the UK belongs at the heart of the EU, but we don’t say so, are we being dishonest and even unprincipled, leaving like-minded people feeling isolated? We are not politicians, probably don’t want to be, and shouldn’t try to be. We don’t have to adjust our position based on double guessing how our political opponents will respond to our next ten steps – leave that to the politicians, that’s their job. What we can do is be a voice for the huge number of ordinary people who are, like us, devastated at what has become of our country. Hope and a vision for a better future are in short supply right now. Why are we not providing that? Do we not understand how powerful that could be? We have a populist government committed to nothing except their own control of power, whatever that takes. But they are unbelievably incompetent and politics has never been so unpredictable. Brexit is an unfolding disaster, not the success Johnson and co. predicted or claimed, and populism around the world is not on the rise as Brexiteers expected – thank you Joe Biden, in particular. The Johnson government has, as a result, been wrong-footed and weakened. Right-wing populists, by definition, listen and pander to popular opinion. If popular opinion is that we would be better in the EU, then populist politicians like Johnson will listen. Our challenge is to channel public opinion to a shared rejoin position and we can’t do that if we remain silent or our stance is ambiguous or nuanced. Perhaps we are also trying to be too smart. For most of us it’s not our job to be politicians and we are not equipped with the Machiavellian skills required of that role. Remember the simplistic, emotional messages used so successfully to win the Leave campaign? Our message as individuals does not have to be the same as the messages from the main political parties, or even the main pro-EU campaign groups. But we should be clear and uncomplicated Ideally, we should all align behind a common, grassroots message. Most can agree that life will be better for all of us, for our country, and indeed the world if we rejoin the EU and take back our place as a force for good – and we shouldn’t be afraid to say so. So whether you think we should campaign to rejoin now, or take a more cautious, step-by-step approach of gradually moving closer to the EU, make your position clear and principled – that way you are much more likely to persuade others of the way forward. /ENDS

Brexit

Where are you on rejoin?

by Cliff Mitchell

If we believe the UK belongs at the heart of the EU then we need to be honest and say...

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Central Bylines is a regional online newspaper that supports citizen journalism. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in Central England and beyond.

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