Letter to my MP, Steve Baker (Conservative, Wycombe)

Email sent to my MP Steve Baker (Conservative, High Wycombe) and copied to 'The 48%' Facebook group.

(Note: that this was sent just before Theresa May called the election she said she wouldn't call in order to force through the Brexit in which she said she didn't believe - but I will still chase him for an answer.)

16th April 2017

Dear Steve Baker,

As you are my MP I wrote to you (and all MPs) some time ago with a considered case – based partly on Burke’s representative principle, with which you have personally told me you agree – why Parliament should reject leaving the EU following last year’s advisory Referendum. I also appended a list of areas of UK governance in which the EU has little or no say and asked you kindly to judge how we compare to similar EU nations in the exercise of our sovereignty in these matters. (I append it again: will you kindly favour me with a substantive response this time?) You didn’t respond to either, which is your prerogative, but as your constituent I hope you will now give me some advice.

Like many other Remainers, I have several times gone online and tried politely to engage Leavers in a constructive debate about the case for Brexit, the reasons why they voted for it, the nature of the calling of the EU Referendum, the campaigns, the future state of the Union, the likely economic, social and cultural consequences of leaving the EU and so on. In my case, with the exception of a nice lady in the Midlands, the responses have been one, some or, I’m sad to say, too often all of the following:

1. Demonstrably ignorant;
2. Confused and incoherent;
3. Intemperate and incoherent;
4. Rude and often abusive;
5. Semi-literate;
6. Notwithstanding all the above, either unwilling or unable to have a serious debate in a spirit of goodwill.

Others I know have expressed reasonable opinions online and have been “trolled” and intimidated by sometimes hundreds of self-styled “nationalists”.

A Frenchman who was foolish enough to go onto what appeared a mainstream pro-Brexit page to point out the origin of the term “Great Britain” was told this:
“Hey prick we had a massive empire, and I don’t need a foreign Arsehole [sic] giving me history lessons. So here is one for you. We in Great Britain have voted Brexit and will be sticking two fingers up at the likes of you.”

A Leaver who challenged me on my own Facebook page (“Hooray!” I thought. “At last – now let’s have some democratic debate!”), on being sent a link to where I set out my case against leaving the EU, responded thus: “I am not interested in you or your opinions ... I don’t give a flying fuck.”

I wouldn’t be writing to you if I thought that these were just a few rotten apples. There is a poisonous atmosphere of ignorance, hatred and the worst kind of bigoted nationalism out there. Are these the people Nigel Farage meant when, expecting to lose last June, he intimated (threatened?) social unrest and violence if the result was to be 52%-48%? Oh the irony!

I don’t for a minute think that you condone this kind of behaviour – but I ask you to admit that it is widespread. Like it or not, these are your people; as you have said, you consider yourself mandated by them.

Most if not all Remainers I know are civilised, thoughtful and polite people who, with a few exceptions I admit, can hold and express an opinion with reasonable coherence, tend not to tell people to “fuck off” before they have been properly introduced, and are not using the narrow Leave victory as an excuse for violence, hatred and bigotry.

Rather than stew in our own juices we are desperate to be able to engage sensibly with our opponents and to debate with them in a decent spirit (and yes, to persuade them through argument not intimidation that they have made an appalling and historic mistake). We aren’t going away and we have some very formidable (metaphorical) weapons in our armoury - which we will use.

So to my request for your advice: where, in your opinion, should Remainers who want to have a sensible, polite and potentially productive online debate with Leavers go? Where do intelligent Leavers go to debate among themselves - for as everyone knows, there is a range of opinions in your camp?

I look forward to your response, thank you for your time and wish a Happy Easter to you and yours.

Peter Roberts

ADDENDUM to my email to all MPs: please give me your considered answer.

Compared to other EU nations of similar wealth, does the UK in general have
• a better education system and higher levels of literacy?
• better health and social care systems?
• better standards of health, food and diet?
• higher economic productivity?
• a more equitable distribution of wealth?
• better urban environments and better quality housing?
• better transport systems and better quality roads?
• more independent shops and restaurants, and fewer corporate chain stores in our high streets?
• higher standards of public behaviour and less alcohol-fuelled night-time aggression?
• and, most importantly of all, better national football teams?