Guest blog - Why I'm backing Remain by Richard Logue

By Richard Logue

I did say I wouldn't speak about the Referendum again after last week's tragic murder of Jo Cox MP but we are now hours away from voting and I can't remain silent when the same old lies are being repeated.

When I spoke on Wednesday evening in favour of Remain at our public meeting in Mill Hill many pro-Brexit supporters were shouting, telling me to sit down and shut up.

Is this the Britain we want? A Britain where only those with pre-approved opinions are allowed to speak? A Britain where our elected representatives are under threat of Murder because they dare to break the consensus and call out the Leave campaign for what is really is?

And it really is a squalid, know-nothing argument, built on lies, built on exaggerations and built on deception.

That’s not the Britain I love. The  Britain I love is strong and influential inside the European Union. It’s now free to push for genuine reform as it is no longer bound to the Treaty of Rome requirement for “ever closer union”. No longer bound (and it never was) to bail out Eurozone countries as our non-Eurozone status is confirmed through the deal Cameron struck with the EU prior to the Referendum.

A Britain prepared and ready to veto any non-democratic or free countries that want to join the EU. Turkey is not going to join the EU. It won’t join until it’s confirmed as a free, democratic nation that respects the rights of minorities. That process may take 40 years, it may take 100 years. What is certain that it is not going to join the EU any time soon. That is a fact.

And what about the £350 million a week argument? It's an exaggeration. In reality we send just under £250 million a week and get back money to pay for agriculture and infrastructural projects. In addition the private sector gets EU grants to pay for research. Even then the money we pay out is less than what we pay for overseas aid and is dwarfed by what we spend on the NHS, Defence and Social Welfare. Returning £250 million per week to the UK exchequer would have almost no impact and could easily be sucked up if our economy tanks and the value of the pound crashes in the event of Brexit.

We are told that if we Vote Leave we'll take control. We won't take control. The British Establishment will take control. Are we really going to "take control" by abolishing our directly elected British MEPs and replace them with the unelected House of Lords? Are we going to "take control" by opting out of making the EU laws and directives and replacing that by having to blindly follow them if we want to trade with the EU? Are we going to "take control" by admitting we have to continue mass immigration because our elected politicians cut education and not reform it so we can grow much needed trades and vocational education? Do we "take control" by allowing well known NHS opponents like Michael Gove and Aaron Banks to take power in this country in the event of a Brexit vote?

I’m sick of this referendum. I’m sick of the Leave campaigners undermining this country and I can’t wait for their poison and vitriol to leave the stage and allow us to rebuild our country after the sick and disgusting events leading up to this referendum.

I wholly respect people's desire to vote Leave. We have a democracy in this country and our right to vote is fundamental to how it works. But so too is the right of Free Speech and the right to elect Politicians to represent us. I believe a vote to Leave endorses Tommy Mair, Britain First, Nigel Farage and Lies rather than truth. Darkness instead of light.

I want Britain back. I’m voting Remain.

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Ricahrd Logue is an engineer and the chair of teh Mill Hill Residents Association. He wrote this in a personal capacity and it in no way reflects the views of the MHRA which is a non political and non aligned organisation

On Friday we awake from a nightmare

I can't wait for Friday to come around. It will be the first day of the rest of my life in the post Referendum world. I can honestly say that the referendum has been the most depressing political event for well over 20 years. None of our politicians have covered themselves with glory. Both the #VoteLeave and #Remain campaigns have been based on lies, exxageration, distortions and scaremongering.

Tragically, this resulted in the murder of Jo Cox, which has at least seemed to inject a modicum of decency back into the debate. The internet is awash with right wing trolls hurling accusations of treachery and treason at all who disagree with them. I have never seen such bile and venom. My own attempts to try and have reasonable conversations on line with members of the #VoteLeave campaign have been met with point blank refusal to even review facts.

UKIP have been plastering the country with misleading and racist posters, which mainstream #VoteLeave campaigners such as Michael Gove have described as stomach churning.

What upsets me most is the complete lack of leadership from The Prime Minister. David Cameron has not tried to make a positive case to stay in. It has simply been scaremongering and hot air.

Even the most committed Remain supporters admit the EU is flawed. Many people who are voting Leave are doing so reluctantly, but because they believe it is incapable of reform. Cameron has poured petrol on these fears by pretending the dodgy deal he cobbled together was a real change. For many, this tipped them towards leave.

Cameron should have made the case that as we are geographically part of Western Europe, we are inextricably tied to Europe whether we like it or not. He should have made the case that if there is not reform in the EU, it will be bad for Britain regardless of whether we are in or out, but we can only drive reform if we are in. Cameron should have made the case that if the UK leaves, this could cause the disintegration of the EU and this would be very bad for countries on the Eastern edge of the EU. The Baltic republics, Poland, The Czech Republic etc for years suffered as satellites of The USSR. If the EU failed they would once again be at the risk of economic bullying by Putin and Russia. That is why Putin supports Brexit.

Great Britain has always taken a leading role in shaping the development of the world. We lead the fight to abolish the global Slave trade, we lead the fight against Nazi expansion, we set up the Court at The Hague, which has brought tyrants to heel. But all of these things we could only achieve because our allies respected us. We needed to work together. If we are outside of the EU, we cannot shape its development. We cannot veto bad policies and we cannot influence policy to help smaller and more vulnerable members such as Estonia and Latvia.

These smaller nations look to the UK to protect them within the EU from German dominance. I don't know about you, but I don't throw my friends to the wolves. 

Leave have made all sorts of arguments about how the UK can keep its cash. If you believed their spin, you'd think the UK was a basket case. We are not. We are the worlds 5th largest economy, we have low unemployment and are more wealthy than we've ever been. The reason we are seeing high levels of immigration is because we are a successful nation. Like the US, people want to live here.

To hear people pretend otherwise sickens me. The referendum campaign has been a nightmare. The sooner it is over, the better. I just hope that people see through the lies and make the right decision for the Uk an for the rest of the world. 

Hamptons, The False Dots & Black Doldrums live at BLUE MOON Records launch party at The Chandos Arms

London is the music capital of the world. There is great music on your doorste, so don't let it pass you by!

Come down to Colindale for the official Launch Party for Blue Moon Records – at the Chandos Arms to partake in the launch of Londons newest and most exciting record label! – Free Entry
Your chance to see Hamptons and Black Doldrums for free in your back yard. Two of Londons finest up and coming bands, along with the iconic False Dots celebrating 37 years of the finest music.
All three bands are previewing music from their forthcoming new albums on Blue Moon records. Londons newest and most exciting Indie label.

Another #SaveLondonMusic gig!!!

Want to hear what the bands sound like?  

The False Dots


Black Doldrums

The FA and how not to motivate a Football team

I couldn't have been more shocked and surprised by the statements from Greg Dyke and the FA concerning the future of England manager Roy Hodgson.

Stating that the team need to reach the semi finals for the manager to keep his job, on the eve of one of the most important matches for years is lunacy. Roy should be concentrating on preparing the team and the team should be concentrating on performing well.

Instead Roy has been distracted and the players have been given an excuse to underperform. Did the FA learn nothing from the experience of Manchester City this season, who were looking good for 4 trophies, before they undermined Pelligrini by announcing his replacement.

Now players will be having furtive chats in quiet corners, speculating on the possible new boss. If they underperform they can give the excuse of being distracted. Yet again the FA proves it is run by incompetents with no class.

The Tweets of the Week in The London Borough of Barnet - 19/6/2016

Our fave regular article is back again!

1. Definately the best tweet this week. Check it out

St Pancras Int'l ‏@StPancrasInt Jun 15

From the archives: Sir John #Betjeman in Contrasts: Marble Arch to Edgware via @BBCiPlayer http://ow.ly/10FjuM crasInt Jun 15

 2. Edgware Abbey is marking an important anniversary. Here's to the next 150 years!

Hugh Rayner ‏@50barnet

11.6.16 Best wishes to Abbess Mother Mary Therese and Dame Barbara - celebrating 150th Anniversary of Edgware Abbey.

 3.  A date for your diary!

Barnet Libraries ‏@BarnetLibraries

Just 2 weeks until Nick Dobson's illustrated talk 'The Battle of the Somme' at Edgware lib http://bit.ly/1Wy0nRx 

 4. There are some great events coming up at The Finchley Literary Festival. Make sure you follow them.

1. Finchley Lit Fest ‏@FinchleyLitFest Jun 16

   Adapting short stories for TV with @jojowasawoman in #FLF2016 on 24th June at Trinity Church Centre, N12.Book now on http://www.meetup.com/Finchley-Literary-Festival-Meetup/events/230607241/ …

 5. I was rather taken with this tweet. Lovely picture. This is sort of how pictures should look when people of different faiths get together.

Interfaith Matters ‏@__Interfaith__

Steve and and Fr Looka Kamel, St Mary + Archangel Michael #Coptic Orthodox Church in Golders Green #interfaithselfie

 6. A follow up to one of our previous tweets of the week!

Donald Lyven ‏@barnet_rebel

No, No, No! @LDN_prepared I advised you TWO WEEKS ago to instruct ALL London Councils to clear their gullies. Any action taken? @tube_bird

 7. We agree with Caitlin!

1. Caitlin ‏@Caitlin26x Jun 17

   Save #MillHill Library! Sign the petition: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/mill-hill-library-needs-to-be-saved?source=twitter-share-button … via @38_degrees

 8. Serious stuff. Please read/retweet

Metropolitan Police Verified account ‏@metpoliceuk

Appeal for witnesses in #Finchley rape investigation http://news.met.police.uk/news/appeal-for-witnesses-in-finchley-rape-investigation-169350?utm_campaign=mm_email_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sendgrid …

9. What's our new Mayor been up to? Maybe a local Gym can give him some free personal training?

David Longstaff ‏@David_Longstaff 3h3 hours ago

I gave out the medals at the Barnet schools and clubs Festival of Gymnastics today.... I don't think I was ever that fit!

 10. More for your diary!

The Chandos Arms ‏@ChandosArmsPub Jun 14

LIVE JAZZ every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month 6pm - http://www.justeastofjazz.co.uk/chandosarmsjazz/index.html … @ChandosArmsJazz

 

Jo Cox MP Murder - What sort of a man attacks a woman in the street?

Nigel Farage racist #Brexit poster

Yesterdays court appearance of the man arrested  for the killing of MP Jo Cox apparently leaves no one in any doubt as to his movitions. Thomas Mair gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain", when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court. His actions must surely make a lot of people take a long, hard look at what they are doing and what they aare saying. Whilst this statement makes it clear Mr Mair is a fanatic, the word has been misused and mispplied to all manner of people in the course of this campaign. Sadly, the right wing press, lead by Rupert Murdoch, labels anyone who supports European integratition as "Euro fanatics". The Cambridge dictionary describes a fanatic (disapproving) as "a person who has very extreme beliefs that may lead them to behave in unreasonable or violent ways:". Now I am not aware of anyone who has been labelled a Euro fanatic as ever perpetrating violence. This label is solely applied because such people disagree with the right wing press and their agenda. 

When it comes to #Brexit fanatics, we now have a graphic demonstration of exactly what they are. Thomas Mair is not alone on the fringes of the hard right Anti Europe movement. Many are notorious for extremely violent, cowardly and unpleasant man. Organisations such as the National Front, Britain First, The BNP and Combat 88 are all known for  violence. All are rabidly anti Europe. The difficult truth for many in the Brexit campis that they are sharing a bed with some very unpleasant people. I know many Brexit supporters who are sane and rational and abhor violence. They sadly find themselves in the same position as moderate, reasonable Muslims, who are forced to apologise for the behaviour of fanatics, who don't represent them or even the mainstream view of their campaign. Last week, we had the awful massacre at a night club in Orlando. Donald Trump used it to announce that he was right about Muslims. Sadly when a deranged Muslim goes on a rampage the Republic Presidential Candidate sees fit to demonise a whole religion. This is about as fair and honest as blaming every Brexiteer for Mr Mair's alleged behaviour. 

It is not unreasonable however to point out that the hard right in the UK are 100% pro #Brexit. It is also fair to point out that the main theme of the #Brexit campaign is anti immigration. Nigel Farage unvelied a clearly racist poster, full of non white faces, as part of his anti immigrant scare campaign. The Leave campaign have generated a lie machine, denouncing every warning about dangers to the economy from the #remain campaign as project fear. This is truly dishonest, given their vile campaign to whip up fear of immigrants. As the son of a Commonwealth immigrant, who came to the UK to fly bombers for the RAF during World War II, I find such scaremongering vile and distateful. The hard right demonises Eastern Europeans, whilst forgetting the brave contribution of Polish and Czech servicemen during World War II. It is entirely feasable that without Polish Pilots, Great Britain would have lost the Battle of Britain. How did we repay Poland? We allowed them to be ruled by the USSR for a generateion. 

I raise these issues, because I am aware of the bravery of millions of Eurpopeans, Africans, Asians and Anzacs who served in the UK armed forces, fighting the toughest military machine in the world at the time. My father was a prisoner of war in Bucharest, Romania. He always told me that the Romanians were the finest and most honourable people he ever met. The Romaanian Air force, gave his rear gunner a decent burial and alowed my father to attend unescorted. They gave him hospitalily before returning him to the POW camp. As such it breaks my heart to see the way "Romanians" are demonised for the bad behaviour of a small minority of immigrants from that country. 

Mr Mair, given the name he now calls himelf,  clearly thinks of himself as some sort of right wing warrior, fighting a war of liberation. Why did he come to this conclusion? Does Mr Farage and his nasty poster feel responsible? I would hope so, but I dount it. Does The Sun and The Daily Express, with their anti immigrant rants and their "A week to Save Britain " style headlines? Again, I'd hope so, but I doubt it. Does it not occur to the editors of these rags, that some people are actually taken in by the crap they write?  Some actually believe that Britain will disappear if we remain in the EU. Some are taken in by claims that immigration will stop and this won't damage the economy. Whilst most people are not violent or dangerous, if you make armageddon style claims about EU membership, it is not hard to see how a disturbed and deranged man may react. 

But there is another side to Mr Mair's apparant behaviour that hasn't been commented on. The victim was a woman. Mr Mair may see himself as some sort of freedom fighter as he seems to want from his statement of name, but the person who died was an unarmed and unprepared woman. I was brought up to believe that hitting women was unbritish. I was brought up to believe that women should be treated with respect. I was brought up to believe that any man who strikes a woman is a coward and a bully. So I have to ask, what sort of a man attacks a woman in the street. What sort of a man can ever claim to be anything other than a low life scumbag for such behaviour. I don't believe that unprovoked violence is ever acceptable. When it is perpetrated against someone with no means to protect themselves it is even more vile. I suspect that Jo Cox was chosen because she was a soft target. She was someone he could take out without much risk to himself. Like every man who ever attacks a woman, he did it because it was easy for him. He clearly wants to be veiwed as some sort of hard right soldier, who he hopes will inspire further acts of violence.  My hope is that everyone from acorss our community simply rejects him as coward who attacked a defenceless woman in the street. 

As far as I am concerned, bravery and fighting for freedom is what people like my father did in world War II. They put on a uniform and took massive risks for a causes they believed in. The man who murdered Jo Cox simply lines up with every thug everywhere who has ever attacked a woman. I have utter contempt for thm all. I just wish a few more commentators would stand up and call out  the killer for what he is, a cowardly man who attecked a defenceless woman in the street. Him and his like deserve only our contempt and scorn.