Where there is no vision, the people perish
- 2016-06-16
- By ReimaginingEurope
- Posted in EU Referendum, Tim Cross
“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18)
Major General (Retired) Tim Cross - Local Lay Minister in the Church of England and the Chairman of the Board of Theos, a public theology think tank
What has surely been most striking about the Referendum debate so far is how short term, tactical and depressingly negative it has all been. This referendum will set in place our future journey for at least a generation and what we surely need is a long term vision to inspire us as to what Britain’s role in the world can and should look like in 20+ years, not be bedevilled by spurious and increasingly bizarre ‘end of the world’ forecasts. One of the key golden threads running through Scripture is the command that we are not to be afraid. Sadly, as I know from my own engagements within Whitehall, many of our senior politicians, civil servants and ‘advisers’ seem to have little confidence in where we have come from as a nation and, more importantly, little or no sense of what we can be in the future. Afraid and insecure many strike me as wanting to reduce us to bit-part role in a world where only the economy matters and to hell with anything else. As Christians we, above all others, must not allow ourselves to be driven by such fear.
Great visions challenge - not offer the status quo, retrenchment and safety. They explain why we can’t stay where we are and lay out a picture of where we can be if we put our time, treasure and talent into it. Strategic thinking wins hearts and minds, giving people a sense of identity and purpose. No serious player in this debate is talking about pulling up drawbridges and withdrawing from the world, but rather leaning into and engaging with the world with strong, confident, leadership. With the courage to be optimistic, not pessimistic, about where are future lies.
The UK’s history and trading links give us global interests, global links and friends on every continent. We do not need to subcontract our future to a failing EU; rather we must move forward, working alongside our friends and allies in Europe and elsewhere, sharing our expertise and capabilities freely and openly and unconstrained in who we work with and how we express our national interests and values. Britain has the fifth-biggest economy and the fifth-largest defence budget in the world. We are a nuclear power and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. We have a language spoken by billions and boast world-class diplomatic and intelligence capabilities. For over 40 years I was proud to serve in what was - and I believe still is - one of the finest armed forces in the world. And as I did so in places like Belfast, the Balkans and Baghdad I was constantly impressed by the extraordinary abilities of the British men and women I served alongside and met - an eclectic mix of people in the diplomatic and humanitarian services and in industry and commerce.
The reality of course is that whether we stay or go the world will keep on spinning and we will not crash into the sun! But, in addition to my points above, for me the choice is also about in who we best trust to take us into a better future. It is about morally courageous leadership. Great leaders of great organisations and great nations are people focussed – displaying a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will they have a deep desire to serve the people; it’s not about them, the leader – it’s about those they are leading. Secondly, great leaders, institutions and nations adhere to core values; they display a willingness to challenge and change everything - except those core values. They keep an absolute and clear distinction between “what we stand for” - which will never change - and “how we do things” - which never stops changing. Establishing and holding firm to enduring ‘principles’ they constantly adapt the ‘practice’ to meet the constantly changing environment - but only on the understanding that those core values will never be compromised.
There are of course many positives in working closely alongside Europe - which is more than just the EU – and much has been achieved over the last 60 years. But I for one just do not see such leadership evident within the various EU institutions. Democratic values have been constantly pushed aside; increasing numbers of EU citizens are feeling marginalised and ignored by those in power. Creating mass unemployment across Southern Europe is but one example of an EU leadership prepared to destroy the working lives of literally millions of its citizens on the alter of a single currency in a determination to drive through political union, and along with it move inexorably towards unified monetary and economic policies, unified systems of justice and unified armed forces. This experiment has moved far too quickly for large numbers of EU citizens; and those who dismiss and deride the rise of so called populist parties across Europe seem to fail to understand that ‘populist’ means that those parties represent the views of millions of citizens – and those views need to be listened to and countered. I spent 40 years of my life defending democracy around the world and the truth is that I don’t much like the way it is going within the EU.
So, displaying confidence in ourselves as a nation unique amongst the brotherhood of nations, I believe that we can and should stand aside from where the EU heading.
That said, and either way, we should also remember the closing lines of King George’s Christmas message in 1939 as the dark clouds of war were forming: “I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
The same applies on the 24th June!
About the author
Major General (Retired) Tim Cross CBE served in the British Army at every level, from leading a small Bomb Disposal Team in Northern Ireland to commanding a Division of 30,000. He also served in Iraq, Kuwait and the Balkans. He was appointed CBE for his work in leading the NATO response to the Kosovo Humanitarian crisis. Retiring in January 2007 Tim was the Army Adviser to the UK House of Commons Defence Committee for 5 years. He is a Local Lay Minister in the Church of England and the Chairman of the Board of Theos – a public theology Think Tank. He is a Visiting Professor at three UK Universities and is the President of the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management. A Trustee of the Leadership Trust – where he is also a Tutor - and a Defence Adviser to a number of UK/International Companies, Tim is an itinerant preacher and international speaker.
Thank you Sir,
This is beautifully and succinctly written, I had become disheartened by many preceding posts which appeared to me to be essentially humanist.
My mother is German and my father English, so I am by default a European, I will however be voting for Leave, saddened that the EU establishment, when asked to put in a reform path, essentially chose not to, instead gave the British Government less than scraps to turn into sound bites.
I pray for our elected leaders irrespective of the outcome, that they may lead this country and have the courage to stand up for what is right, not just what may be popular or encouraged by focus groups.
I met General Cross, some years ago, but he will not remember me, as he was then, the Colonel, & I was a Corporal, one soldier, amongst many.
I was impressed with him, as he spoke individually to as many as he could, and seemed genuinely interested in us as people, whereas most senior officers, were not interested in other ranks.
Now I find him once again, a well balanced man, who talks a lot of sense.
Like him, I deplore the lack of accountable democracy in the EU, and have total confidence, in this nations ability to govern itself, as we did before we joined the Common Market.
I fear that we will be drawn into chaos, when the EU implodes, which I believe is very likely, and will escape the worst effects, if we have left, in fact, we would then be in a position, to help those countries, suffering from their continued EU membership.
The view that the EU advances peace & cooperation is denied by the growing unrest & inequality in Europe, & especially in the Southern part of the Eurozone. Democracy firmly embedded in nation states trading & working together for the common good - internationalism - advances peace in a tried & tested way. The dysfunctional undemocratic supranational EU no longer recognises this way due to its bureaucratic pretensions. The Major-General has a theological grasp of people- centred democracy, the dignity of the nation state and its accountability much lacking in some of your recent contributors.
How Anglo-centric and self-righteous both blog and comments so far. I would like to remind you of Nick Baines blog. There seems no awareness nor understanding of how peevish and selfish the British position seems when seen from the other side of the channel. At a time when EU leaders are grappling with the biggest crisis in the last 40 years, the enormous numbers fleeing from war zones seeking safety in Europe, the UK opts out from resettlement, apart from a small token and stands shouting on the side lines.
Sweeping and unfounded assertions are made about the EU - but have you looked recently at the competence and honesty of UK politicians?
What is peevish, Anglo-centric & self- righteous about wanting to embrace the Commonwealth or to see a fair deal for African farmers suffering under harsh EU tariffs? And since when has the enormous number escaping from war zones not been made up mainly of economic migrants?
At least we elect our UK politicians - competent or otherwise - & we can get rid of them if we want to.
There’s no lack of sweeping and unfounded assertions all over the place at the moment.
The Commonwealth leaders or their ambassadors leading their embassies and missions to the EU in Brussels would not agree that the UK could do more for them as an lone trader than they can as part of the EU. Most of them have already stated this in public.
As far as African farmers are concerned the Common Agricultural Policy has been considerably reformed over the last 40 years, often because of pressure from the UK, and the trade distorting effects have largely been removed. The UK should stay to continue to exert pressure for fair trade rather than shouting ineffectually from the side lines.
How many more times do we need to repeat that EU policies are decided and EU laws made by elected ministers from every member state and elected members of the European Parliament. It is of course difficult to get rid of them because there are 28 electorates not just one. That does not make them undemocratic.
The Brexiteers seem quite indifferent to the adverse effect of a UK withdrawal on their partners and the wider world. What is that if not Anglo-centric? As the Archbishop of York has pointed out on his blog on the diocese website, if the UK votes to leave we shall be letting down the countries we have worked with since we joined.
The European Community was set up to get the people round a table who had previously been fighting each other. The UK joined in the effort rather late but has been an effective, if sometimes difficult partner, in the effort to create a zone of stability, peace and prosperity in Europe. Of course for much of the media ministers and civil servants sitting round tables to find solutions to complex problems is not particularly photogenic or exciting. So the reporting, discussion and evaluating is minimal. Instead myths and sensationalism abound and are easily used by unscrupulous politicians in all countries, but especially so in the UK where most people how no idea how the EU actually works.
For a sober assessment of EU policies I once again recommend the CEPS book edited by Michael Emerson which can be downloaded for free:
PDF]Britain’s Future in Europe.pdf – Centre for European Policy Studies
https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Britain’s%20Future%20in%20Europe_0.pdf
Britain’s Future in Europe.
‘It is of course difficult to get rid of them because there are 28 electorates not just one. That does not make them undemocratic.’
No, no of course not undemocratic de jure but undemocratic de facto.
[A] 130 million travelling circus that once a month sees the European Parliament decamp from Belgium to France.
Over the course of the weekend, some 2,500 plastic trunks will be loaded on to five lorries and driven almost 300 miles from Brussels to Strasbourg.
On Monday, about 1,000 politicians, officials and translators will then make the same journey on two specially chartered trains hired at taxpayers expense.
The report shows how taxpayers foot the 2.5 million bill for relocating freelance translators from Brussels to Strasbourg and back again, including costs of travel, accommodation and other expenses.
Providing catering services in Strasbourg costs an additional 1 million, while extra medical support comes to some 330,000.
In Strasbourg, extra money is needed for computers and IT support and for maintenance and security of the sleek parliament building, which was completed in 1999. In total, the cost of looking after the French buildings and infrastructure and other charges comes to about 50 million a year.
Source: Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter 10:45PM GMT 11 Jan 2014
Mrs Ludlow, they cant change this procedure because its too difficult as its in the Lisbon Treaty (the constitution of the United States of Europe) and would require certainly not the 28 electorates. So why cant they change it?
From: The Daily Telegraph
Britain’s Future in Europe http://www.brugesgroup.com/media-centre/comment/37-comment-and-analysis/1190-eu-quiz
Major General Tim Cross is a someone of great experience, a Christian and someone whose views I personally would take very seriously.
He writes: “There are of course many positives in working closely alongside Europe – which is more than just the EU – and much has been achieved over the last 60 years. But I for one just do not see such leadership evident within the various EU institutions.”
I agree with what he says about lack of leadership - and that much has been achieved by the EU - but I think this is a problem that we in the UK have as much and probably more than other EU countries and I think that this is shown so clearly by holding a referendum mainly on the basis of internal party political divisions and in a way which could fatally undermines our Parliamentary democracy
It is true that Europe is wider than the EU and we do have other institutions such as the Council of Europe and NATO with whom we co-operate. But what has made the difference is the existence of the EU which has given economic strength and core European commitment to NATO; and has brought Greece, Portugal, Spain and the Eastern European countries to a democracy that they had hardly ever known before.
Of course we all have our experiences and amongst many other spheres of work, I spent seven years in the European Commission and simply do not recognise many, perhaps most, of the descriptions that are given about the way in which the European institutions work and interact with the national governments and civil services.
Above all though, I hope that we can learn from the experience of recent years and especially during the referendum campaign and yesterday, that the widespread use of hate speech by some media and individuals against ‘them’, diminishes and damages us all
‘ could fatally undermines our Parliamentary democracy’?
How?
Spain, Portugal and Greece are economic basket cases - they need their own currencies to set their own interest rates - rather than the Germans (through the ECB) setting interest rates to suit their own economy.