I'm in Vienna, following a successful ALDE Party Council meeting, and reflecting on the European campaign at home. In my travels around the city, I've seen a lot of posters for the Social Democrats with the key message, "Europa im Kopf. Osterreich im Herzen.". It's a message which resonates with me, as it reflects a perspective that makes sense.
One of the key charges made against people like me by UKIP activists is that, by supporting United Kingdom membership of the European Union, I am somehow betraying my country. It is a simple message, easily delivered and very effective, regardless of its validity. And, whilst I wouldn't claim that all Liberal Democrats take the same view, I guess that many are proud of their country and believe that pooling sovereignty in some matters is in its best interests.
I am an Englishman by birth and, a bit of me likes to think, by the grace of God. I want my country to be influential and a force for good in an increasingly complex world, and I wouldn't be the least bit unhappy if other people looked up to us as an exemplar. I am accordingly, the sort of person who believes that, if we treat our partners in the international community with respect, we can win them over, if not entirely in our favour, at least to a mutually acceptable extent.
And, I guess, that's where I part company with UKIP. They believe in spending money on ships and guns, whilst I want to invest in poverty reduction across the globe and the building and strengthening of international institutions - out of interest, what are those aircraft carriers for, exactly, if you don't believe in interfering in foreign wars? I happen to think that investing in peace is, in the long run, cheaper than preparing for war.
They believe that the United Kingdom can go it alone in the world and, whilst I can't deny that it is true, I also believe that we are better off engaged in the debate about continent-wide standards that makes it easier to sell into our major markets and likely to extract better trading terms with other nations as part of a powerful trading block. These things have the potential to make us wealthier than we might otherwise be.
These are disagreements, based on our differing philosophies, and whilst I believe that my view offers better prospects than that of UKIP, they have the right to believe that the reverse is true. That, after all, is the essence of politics.
But where I fundamentally object is the claim by some UKIP supporters, seemingly inspired by America's 'Tea Party' contingent, that they want to take back their country. Given their views, I can only infer that theirs is somewhat different to mine, an exclusionary one where anyone who differs from them is wrong or bad. Funnily enough, it isn't their country and it isn't mine either, it's ours - mine, theirs and everyone else's. And that's how I demonstrate my love of country...
* If you're Scots, Northern Irish or Welsh, or identify as British, feel free to remove the reference to Englishman and replace as you see fit.
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