Postcards from the Edge

Brexit is a chance to embrace Mozart, the Prado and all that’s best about the Continent, says Mary Kenny

So here’s my post-brexit policy.

I think we should become more European, not less so. Or put it this way: to rebalance political and judicial separation from the EU, we should compensate by becoming more culturally engaged with historic European values.

During last month’s election campaign, I received a home-produced video from an oldie Remainer friend, in which she raged against ‘leaving Europe’. I admired Bunty’s guts in boldly defending what she believes in – she’s a Yorkshire lass, after all – but I don’t think that leaving the EU should be called ‘leaving Europe’.

We should all take pride in being part of European civilisation and involve ourselves in ‘ever closer union’ with European history and culture.

We should read more French books, see more Italian movies and listen to more German music. It should be mandatory for the BBC to reserve that space on BBC4 every Saturday night for a thriller in Swedish, Danish, Dutch or Italian.

We should avail ourselves of cultural tours to the Prado in Madrid, or learn about the rich archaeology of Sicily, or visit Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg or Sibelius’s home in Helsinki. That’s what being ‘European’ is really about – not a bunch of bureaucrats laying down rules for Ramsgate fishermen.

Remember when we used to talk about going to ‘the Continent’? Shouldn’t we revert to this term, which distinguishes the continuous mass of land from the European islands?

‘The Continent’ not only was a perfectly acceptable geographical description of the European Continent (and it is used in other European languages) but still has an attractive and faintly glamorous undertone.

It also acts as a clarification that, while we are not ‘on the Continent’, geographically as well as culturally we are still in Europe. And always will be.

It has happened that a good divorce has led to a better friendship between the parties involved, both politically and personally. Many Commonwealth countries fought against British colonialism, and then became friends with Britain.

This has also occurred in the old Spanish empire. Spain retains many links of affection with its former colonies – the King of Spain even gets a welcome in Communist Cuba.

Yes, after Brexit, let’s all become more European. This could also heal divisions at home and abroad.

I learned of a new political tribe during the December election, identified by the psephologists as ‘kind yuppies’. These are well-to-do folk who, in contrast to the nasty old capitalists grinding the faces of the poor, feel they should vote in accordance with their own niceness.

I have encountered this tribe at Whitstable, which was once described by Somerset Maugham as ‘a grim fishing village’ (the location for his book Cakes and Ale), but is now chic and hipsterish. ‘We want Rosie Duffield as our [Labour] MP because she is nice,’ I was told.

Maugham’s main character in his 1930 novel is a bold and sexually honest young woman who challenges hypocritical conservatives – called Rosie Driffield.

On the train ’twixt Dublin and Belfast (Backstopland, perhaps), I encountered a wonderfully cheerful tour guide of approximately our vintage by the name of Mary Lavery. And from her I derived an inspiring philosophical message.

Mary acts as a guide to cultural visitors to Ireland’s antiquarian and spiritual places, of which there are many, from holy wells to ancient cairns. On one occasion, a tourist asked her, a little pertly, ‘Since you seem to have such a hotline to the Almighty, why don’t you ask Him to let you win the lottery?’

‘Oh,’ said she. ‘I’ve already had that conversation. I asked God to help me win the Lotto, and this is what He replied: “Mary, you’re happily married; you have a roof over your head, lovely children, health, and food on the table – you’ve already won the lottery!” ’

Good attitude!

Ireland, however, is growing annually more secular and this year will probably see more mentions of the Divinity being removed from the offices of state.

But what is the best model to frame a secular state? Ireland could choose between the French and the Italian examples, perhaps. In France, secularism is guarded with zealous ferocity – last month, it was reported that a veteran nun was kicked out of a retirement home in Vesoul because her religious habit was an affront to the municipality’s laïcité. In Italy, by contrast, state post offices often feature a local saint, or even a crucifix, and nobody seems to object.

And, as seen in the movie The Two Popes – which came out just before Christmas and will soon be on DVD – pontiffs Benedict and Francis are regularly transported between the Vatican and Castel Gandolfo in a state helicopter prominently marked ‘Repubblica Italiana’.

The Italian model of state secularism is certainly a lot more relaxed.