Sunday, June 21, 2015
Are we really ready to fight a pro-European referendum campaign?
With Labour already seeking to go it alone in fighting the European Referendum campaign those wanting us to stay in the EU are facing a major uphill struggle.
Just how steep that hill will be was evident from this article in today's Independent in which they report that a campaign to pull us out of Europe to be funded by some of the wealthiest people in Britain is to launch in September.
They say that organisers, which include business people and entrepreneurs, are said to be in talks with sports stars and other celebrities to act as ambassadors for the campaign:
The campaign, which has been provisionally titled “No Thanks – We’re Going Global,” has hired offices and staff, and has also recruited an agency to help with a public relations and advertising run which will coincide with its launch on 10 September.
The group is led by Arron Banks, the insurance millionaire who donated £1m to UKIP in 2014, although he has made clear that it will have nothing to do with previous political campaigns.
There is no guarantee of course that this grouping will be recognised as the official 'no' campaign but we should be in no doubt that this sort of firepower is a real threat to our continued membership of the EU and all the benefits that it brings for the UK.
Those on the opposite side of the fence need to start organising on a cross-party basis now and that should include zero-tolerance for Labour's tendency to take its toys home and refuse to play with the others.
The future prosperity, influence and status of the UK is at stake and we need to show that we are ready to fight until the bitter end to stay in a reformed European Union. If we don't get our act together soon then it may be too late.
Just how steep that hill will be was evident from this article in today's Independent in which they report that a campaign to pull us out of Europe to be funded by some of the wealthiest people in Britain is to launch in September.
They say that organisers, which include business people and entrepreneurs, are said to be in talks with sports stars and other celebrities to act as ambassadors for the campaign:
The campaign, which has been provisionally titled “No Thanks – We’re Going Global,” has hired offices and staff, and has also recruited an agency to help with a public relations and advertising run which will coincide with its launch on 10 September.
ADVERTISING
The group is led by Arron Banks, the insurance millionaire who donated £1m to UKIP in 2014, although he has made clear that it will have nothing to do with previous political campaigns.
There is no guarantee of course that this grouping will be recognised as the official 'no' campaign but we should be in no doubt that this sort of firepower is a real threat to our continued membership of the EU and all the benefits that it brings for the UK.
Those on the opposite side of the fence need to start organising on a cross-party basis now and that should include zero-tolerance for Labour's tendency to take its toys home and refuse to play with the others.
The future prosperity, influence and status of the UK is at stake and we need to show that we are ready to fight until the bitter end to stay in a reformed European Union. If we don't get our act together soon then it may be too late.
