STRAIGHT TALKING Don’t fall for lies of panicking ‘in’ crowd
FROM UKIP’S DEPUTY LEADER
NO ONE is really sure who was first to coin the phrase about “lies, damned lies and statistics” – but whoever it had been was spot on.
It essentially means that when a straightforward fib won’t do, throw in some made-up numbers and play around with them until they back up your argument.
Distorted facts and figures are unfortunately the bread and butter of modern day politics – and right now they’re being tossed around with wild abandon.
Now that we have a June date for the referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union, the suddenly very nervous “in” brigade has started to panic. individuals who actually DID keep the peace.
One of them is Major General Julian Thomson, who commanded 3 Commando Brigade during the Falklands War. He wrote this week that he was eager to bust some myths about the EU that had emanated from – where else? – Brussels itself.
Myth one, he said, was that the EU had kept peace in Europe since the end of the Second World War in 1945.
Maj Gen Thomson noted: “The EU wasn’t there, then. It didn’t start until the mid ’50s. But did the EU have a hand in keeping the peace later on? No.
“More facts: 1959-2011’s Basque Conflict – the EEC/EC/ EU played no part in resolution. 1968-1998: The “Troubles” in Northern Ireland – the EU did nothing to help end the violence. 1974: The Turkish Invasion of Cyprus – the EEC/EC/EU played no part in resolution.”
He then cites the various Balkans conflicts, pointing out that it was ultimately NATO forces that brought those battles to an end – with the EU having nothing to do with it.
Myth two, as Maj Gen Thomson puts it, is that the USA wants Britain to stay in the EU. IT was painful watching Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool lose to Manchester City on penalties in the League Cup Final at Wembley on Sunday – after having THREE of their four spot-kicks saved.
If there was any glimmer of sunlight to take from the match, it was that at least we now know that the Germans aren’t ALWAYS guaranteed to win a game that goes to penalties. Not that it’s any of their business anyway, but this too is nonsense.
The majority of Americans in the know feel that Britain’s membership of NATO is far more important.
He also points to the outrageous suggestion that Britain leaving the EU would in some way assist Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The truth, however, is that it was the EU’s meddling in the politics of Ukraine that directly led to Putin annexing Crimea.
It’s people like Maj Gen Thomson – who have to fight the battles that politicians create – that we should listen to intently.
Just as we should listen to General Sir Michael Rose, the former head of the SAS, who had his name added to a list of senior military voices calling for us to stay in the EU – even though he had never signed such a letter.
So beware the lies, damned lies and statistics of the “in” campaign.
The vote doesn’t take place until June 23 and they’ve barely warmed up.