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[…] The Constitution should not only be adopted by the nation states
that make up the European Union but should be shot into space to
colonise Mars and Venus as well. No doubt this is what they understand
as the meaning of the stars on the European
Union flag. The fundamental myth of the European
Union is that at the heart of the EU lies one culture.
It does not. There are many different cultures. People
swear their allegiance to a policy that expresses their common
national identity. There is – I would suggest – no European identity.
I cannot think of anyone who would die for Europe. And there is an
attempt nevertheless to manufacture this essence of European
identity by denying real national identity. This pretends to be in the
common interest. But obviously there are many common interests.
We clearly have to co-operate with each other on a whole range of
issues: trade, terrorism is particularly on our minds. But that is very
different from saying that independent nation states who are still
fully self-governing should co-operate with each other. And to say
that their own ability to govern themselves should be erased. […]
We have significant differences in law, in politics, in our cultural
attitudes. This “one size fits all” philosophy is anti-democratic and
also it will not work, not least because the peoples of Europe will not
have it. Nations in my view have a duty first and foremost to look
after their own citizens. That is why – for example – the attempt to
foist a common immigration policy, which is no doubt another part
of the European Union’s interesting period of reflection – is both
ruinous and antidemocratic. Not least for Britain, which has borne
the brunt of this mass migration. It is perfectly true that Britain’s
immigration crisis is the result of its own government’s fundamental
incompetence. But that is a matter for we British to sort out rather
than have the European Union do it for us. If we in Britain wish to
deport extremists, that is a controversial matter, but it is a matter for
the British people and the British Parliament to decide. The attempt
by the European Union to prevent this exercise of democracy in
Britain and other countries is simply intolerable and it is one of its
countless incursions into democratic sovereignty. […]
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