Grace Eracleous puts in a plea for straight talking in advance of the UK referendum on EU membership.
By now, we’ve all received through the post that 14-page booklet from the government saying we should vote to stay IN the European Union, right?
If you didn’t, then here’s a very brief recap of what was in it…..
…Propaganda.
The decision is in your hands, allegedly, but little ol’ David is giving his best shot at trying to influence your decision.
Now, I’m not suggesting that I want Britain to leave the EU. On the other hand I’m also not saying that I want us to stay. What I do want, is a clear account of the advantages and disadvantages of both leaving and staying, with no biased opinions allowed to cloud the straightforward explanations we need.
But that’s nowhere near what’s in the government-issued booklet: it is as one-sided as a hug with Admiral Lord Nelson. Furthermore, it cost more than £9 million of taxpayers’ money – our money, to produce and post it out. Unsurprisingly, many Brexit campaigners have complained that the booklet, sent to 27 million homes, is unfair and unjust.
Chairman for the Vote Leave organisation and Labour MP, Gisela Stuart bemoans “the attempt by the prime minister to buy the referendum result with the public’s money”.
Leading Eurosceptic, Liam Fox, said: “The Prime Minister promised an amicable debate in a fair referendum, yet recent events are undermining the prospects of the campaign being either.”
In one of his last statements as Mayor of London, Boris Johnson described us as “passengers” if we vote to stay in Europe. We’ll be “locked in the back of a mini cab with a wonky Sat Nav, driven by a driver who doesn’t have perfect command of English and going in a direction we, frankly, don’t want to go” – trust Boris to interpret the up-and-coming referendum in such a vivid way! ** rolls eyes **
Meanwhile, back in our house, we have a new coaster for the coffee table. It has at least three tea stains already and the writing on it – ‘Why the Government believes that voting to remain in the European Union is the best decision for the UK’ – is becoming increasingly faint.
Come the day of the referendum (23 June) that message may well be completely invisible.
Exactly the fate which should befall blatant propaganda masquerading as essential information.