The EU is killing democracy in Europe

Writing exclusively for Endeavour Public Affairs Nigel Farage MEP states that his aspiration in this new parliamentary year is to speak, to act, and to fight for the restoration of national democracy throughout Europe.

Nigel Farage is Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party representing the South East of England; he is also Co-Leader of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group of MEPs in the European Parliament.

My aspiration as leader of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group in the European Parliament is to speak, to act, to fight and fight again for the restoration of national democracy throughout Europe and work for an end to the economic bloodshed caused by the Euro currency.

Eurosceptics have said for years that membership of the EU and national democracy was incompatible. This year, Eurosceptics have been proved correct.

It was galling beyond words to admit that the EU is the graveyard of democracy.

Just look what happened when the Greek Prime Minister Papandreou used the R word, referendum in October 2011. The Brussels elite rounded on him like a pack of hyenas and helped get him removed, only to be replaced by a temporary technocratic puppet. Look also at Italy, where Mario Monti, someone never elected by the people to public office is in charge of the country.

The strength and beauty of Europe lies in the diversity of its peoples, and their history. The EU elite in Brussels on the other hand wish to produce one homogenised, pasteurised political union which is robbed of democracy, denuded of national colour and texture, flattened of every contour of distinction.

If the peoples of Europe cannot through the ballot box decide on their own future then who shall rule them? The European Commission has the answer. Manuel Barroso and his fellows, that is who. National democracy is the crucial determinant of political life. If people are robbed of their ability to determine their own future, it will lead us to a more violent society.

Those who fight to bring back national democracy are the good Europeans, for we are defending Europe’s heritage and future. Europe is becoming an economic backwater where growth has been stifled because of the torrent of silly employment, and environment legislation which flows from Brussels. This hyper-regulation is drowning hope of any economic growth and recovery. This year I shall be urging the peoples of Europe to raise their gaze beyond that economically failing, demographically challenged, democratically dying political union that is the EU.

The political union of the EU is a failed project. Instead, the peoples of Europe should be looking not to lock themselves up of a customs union like the EU but to open themselves and their countries as free agents to free trade with global players like India, China, Latin America and the Commonwealth countries. It is from trading with these areas of the world that growth shall come.

It is now patently clear that the Euro, the pet project of Euro fanatics has been an abject failure. It has locked millions of people into an economic prison from which they cannot escape and has caused untold misery, unemployment and loss of hope for so many. Just look at the situation of Ireland and Spain for instance, where inappropriate interest rates from the wrong currency caused a building boom leading to inevitable bust. This has led in turn to the flight of the brightest and best from these two countries in search of work and a future elsewhere.

The Euro project has resulted in a human tragedy on a massive scale, yet these EU centralisers do not seem to care how much suffering the unemployed and poor have to take so their Euro fantasy can come true.

I am convinced, like many respected economists that the future of a number of European countries lies in leaving the Euro and returning to their own national currencies.

On the first day of term, the hemicycle in the European Parliament, Brussels was shut because the supporting beams of the roof had cracks. This is an apt metaphor for the lack of popular support for the Euro project, remembering that the EP elections attract less than 50 per cent of voters in Europe. The EU and Euro project both have structural weaknesses which will eventually lead to their demise. When that day comes, the peoples of Europe will be much better off. I shall work wholeheartedly for that glorious day to come about.