Lost art of debate

Those concerned about the quality of the eU debate now compared with the 1975 vote (Mail) should compare the quality of media coverage and the public’s attention span.

In 1975, politicians were able to debate at a higher level because both the media and public were capable of engaging at a higher level.

In 2016, members of the public can barely focus long enough to read a tweet, never mind a well-argued point. Many of those who will be affected by this vote, whatever the outcome, cannot even be bothered to register, never mind actually vote.

Meanwhile, in the media if any politician changes their mind on any issue they are charged with ‘flip-flopping’. The old adage that one should change one’s mind in line with the facts has been forgotten.

The Leave side isn’t being asked to explain what would happen the day after a Leave vote victory. It isn’t asked to list those eU benefits people now take for granted which could immediately be scrapped.

The Remain side isn’t asked what the next stage will be in the battle to make the eU accountable. Will that battle cover the unelected and unaccountable mandarins in Westminster?

establishment figures on both sides will be unaffected, whatever the outcome. Boris will continue to write books and be paid over-the-odds for articles lacking any original thought.

Dave will leave Downing street some day and walk off into the corporate sunset. Nigel Farage and Daniel hannan will continue to claim thousands in tax-free unverified expenses from the eU taxpayer.

But millions of people (‘ordinary people’ as politicians like to call them) will be affected. The old who have robbed the generations who follow them have a chance to redeem themselves and leave a positive legacy for their children and grandchildren.

The young who have so carelessly done nothing to shape the society they live in might finally stop taking all the benefits they enjoy for granted and realise how hard-won they were.

DESMOND FITZGERALD, London E14.