A while ago John , a simply delightful chap , came along to help the troops with the (feeble ) NHS campaign. I asked him if he would write something positive about our continued membership of the EU . As I said at the time , I am scratching my head as to what that might be but I rely on your great sagacity.
He has been as good as his word and I must say that he was a fellow of great charm , humour and reasonableness. He clearly wishes only for the best and criticism of him personally is not acceptable here !!!
Views on the big question ,”Better off out ? Or not …. “Would be welcome.
( John is an OBE by the way . My first thought was crumbs if you were an Earl you would be an Earlobe ….not A list material ? Could be …could be )
"John Bowis MEP writes:
"John Bowis MEP writes:
We have a love-hate relationship with Europe. We love their quaint villages and their food and their pageants and their arts; but we are not sure about their strange languages; and we hate their attempts to abolish our weights and measures. We are after all an Island Race and one that ruled half the world and built our wealth on their raw materials and our genius.
Now we are not so sure what we are, who we are, or why we are. We don't feel "European"; we don't want their Constitution; we certainly want to keep our £. And yet we have a sort of feeling that we are connected in some way with those peoples whose lands we visit on holiday.
So what is the European dimension to our lives - apart from the origins of most of our English language and our affinity with the music and painting and opera and writing of our neighbours? Perhaps it is the things that are central to the new Europe - the Europe of the 25, not the old centralising, harmonising Europe of twenty years ago. New Europe has Competitiveness at the top of its agenda; it has a mission to reduce red tape and bureaucracy; it understands that prerequisites to that agenda of a healthy European economy are healthy people and a healthy environment.
That is why we work together to protect our environment, cutting emissions, reducing global warming, improving the air quality of cities like London, ensuring the food safety of the produce we import from across Europe and making our drinking, ground and bathing waters fit for human use. Some of what we do is by setting good and achievable standards but much is not by legislation at al; it is by sharing experience, identifying good practice and then sharing that too. Europe is at its best when it does not irritate but when it adds value to national debate and policy making."
Thanks John .
I do hope I can tempt local sceptic JT into a few words? We shall see. Perhaps one of the uber-bloggers would pick it up ?Croydonian ...
Now we are not so sure what we are, who we are, or why we are. We don't feel "European"; we don't want their Constitution; we certainly want to keep our £. And yet we have a sort of feeling that we are connected in some way with those peoples whose lands we visit on holiday.
So what is the European dimension to our lives - apart from the origins of most of our English language and our affinity with the music and painting and opera and writing of our neighbours? Perhaps it is the things that are central to the new Europe - the Europe of the 25, not the old centralising, harmonising Europe of twenty years ago. New Europe has Competitiveness at the top of its agenda; it has a mission to reduce red tape and bureaucracy; it understands that prerequisites to that agenda of a healthy European economy are healthy people and a healthy environment.
That is why we work together to protect our environment, cutting emissions, reducing global warming, improving the air quality of cities like London, ensuring the food safety of the produce we import from across Europe and making our drinking, ground and bathing waters fit for human use. Some of what we do is by setting good and achievable standards but much is not by legislation at al; it is by sharing experience, identifying good practice and then sharing that too. Europe is at its best when it does not irritate but when it adds value to national debate and policy making."
Thanks John .
I do hope I can tempt local sceptic JT into a few words? We shall see. Perhaps one of the uber-bloggers would pick it up ?Croydonian ...
