My personal guide to the EU issues that voters should know about : Part 1 Peace and Security

Political issues related to the EU are complex because we are talking about political structures which have a significant influence on the lives of more than 300 million people across 28 European countries.  I have identified 6 key issues in the form of “for-and-against” statements which I will then discuss and give my personal verdict on (!). 

These issues are: peace and security in Europe, free trade and economic benefits, the cost of membership, the democratic “deficit”, immigration and the terrorist threat, and David Cameron’s deal.

By the end of the series, I hope you will have a better idea of the issues. The first one is peace and security, and I have also included at the end my “for-and-against” statements for the second issue, which is free trade.

Week 1 : Peace and Security
For EU : The EU has brought European nations together for the last 60 years and so kept the peace in Europe.  Leaving the EU reduces our level of cooperation and so will increase the risk of war.

Against EU : The fact of peace in Europe since WW2 has more to do with globalisation and other organisations like NATO than the EU. Leaving the EU would make no difference.

It is true that there has never been a war between EU member states, and that EU states cooperate with each other more than ever before in issues of trade and competition, foreign policy, environmental standards, free movement of people, etc.  Cooperation between Eurozone countries is even greater because of a shared currency.  It does seem like a war between EU member states is very unlikely, and that the growth in cooperation in numerous policy areas over the lifetime of the EU – the last 50 to 60 years - has to be acknowledged as an important factor.

On the other hand, European nations have long cooperated in numerous other forums such as NATO and the UN, which could also claim to have contributed to peace in Europe since WW2.   The chance of a war between two EU member states is no different to the chance of a war between any EU member state and Norway, Switzerland and Iceland, for example, which are European countries outside the EU. Globalisation and rising living standards have very probably decreased the likelihood of war between first world countries worldwide, regardless of political structures. 

Outside the EU, I believe that the UK would continue to cooperate closely with EU member states on defence and foreign policy through NATO, UN and ad hoc bilateral meetings with the EU and its members.  If anything, the EU’s charge towards political integration is inflaming tensions between some EU member states who want to retain more of their independence than the EU will allow, although we cannot say that a war is likely because of this.

The issue of keeping the peace is important to understand because it reveals the power of the EU’s founding ideology.  The EU was founded mainly in response to the loss of life and destruction caused by two world wars and an understandable desire to permanently prevent another war in Europe.  European political and economic integration is seen as the locking mechanism for further wars to be avoided.  EU leaders really believe in this idea, though you won’t hear this emphasised so much in the UK. 

There has been a relentless increase in the level of political cooperation by EU countries through the institutions of the EU, and this has been driven at least in part by the EU’s founding ideology.  However, in my opinion, EU leaders are apt to overstate the EU’s own contribution to peace in Europe in order to justify its existence and scare people about the prospect of a slide towards war if the EU were to fail. 

My verdict

Overall, the EU has made a contribution to European and world peace however, this should also be credited to the individual countries of the EU, to NATO and the UN.  Numerous cooperation structures for stable cooperation in Europe will continue post-Brexit and there is no serious reason why Brexit will increase the chance of a war in Europe, in my opinion.  Supporters of the EU have other, more persuasive arguments for the UK to "stay", which I will come on to in future articles.

Week 2 : Free trade and economic benefits

For EU : The EU facilitates free trade and free movement of money, goods and services across Europe.  The UK would have a much worse deal on these issues post-Brexit and suffer huge damage to its economy.

Against EU : Because of the huge volume of exports to the UK from many EU countries, there is every reason to believe that the UK would continue to have free trade and movement of money, goods and services across Europe post-Brexit, just like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland do.  The UK’s economy would continue to thrive, perhaps even more so.