Brexit and Remain have exaggerated their cases

Europe and UK will always engage but the question is how.

In this decade of political turbulence Australia is mired in an election campaign of inertia, watching volatile political contortions abroad and, perhaps, just allowing ourselves to count our blessings. The polarising spectacle of the US presidential campaign and the historical wrench of the UK’s EU referendum make our contest seem a little pedestrian — and gladly so. Whether or not it was inspired or fuelled by partisan politics, the horrific murder of British Labour MP Jo Cox underscores the tragic consequences of violence. Our liberal democracies are founded on the contest of ideas and must remain movable forums where politicians and aspiring candidates freely can canvass for votes, seek feedback and advocate causes. We must not descend into societies where our representatives and those who seek to engage or challenge them must be subject to restrictions, security checks and suspicion

While not directly related to the EU debate, such issues about the shape of our democracies will play into the UK debate. No doubt Leave and Remain campaigners will put arguments aside for a time to mourn Ms Cox, but on Thursday all UK voters will have the right to exercise their free will. There are many issues to consider, touching on economic, security, immigration, legal and bureaucratic affairs. But at the heart of the matter is the issue of sovereignty and whether the people of the UK can retain the ultimate right to shape their own destiny and set their own rules.

Too often this has proven not to be the case. When the European Court of Human Rights can prevent the British Home Secretary from deporting criminals — even Islamist terrorists — then it is little wonder the citizens of the UK believe they have surrendered too much. The utter failure of continental Europeans to enforce their own border security and the manifest problems that has created within their societies — as well as the tragedy and trauma it has generated on the Mediterranean — is another abject lesson in the surrender of sovereignty. Even the separation of the Channel has not insulated the UK from these challenges, and this has added to the momentum for the Brexit campaigners. It is telling that some of the same politicians who blamed the UK’s immigration problems on the EU arrangements are now advising voters to endorse remaining with Europe.

There is much scaremongering from both sides of this debate. While there is little doubt that, by leaving the EU, Britain would face significant short-term difficulties in negotiating new trade and business arrangements, it is hardly likely the world’s fifth largest economy would be shunned in the negotiation of bilateral trade deals — nor would London surrender its status as a global financial capital. As The Spectator has noted in an editorial arguing for Brexit, this is not a zero-sum game: “The question at this referendum is not whether Britain should co-operate with our European allies; the question is how.”

As Britain turned away from the Commonwealth to Europe in the 1970s, Australia felt it had been forgotten in the Antipodes. But it proved to be a significant prod along for a nation that needed to find its economic and diplomatic home in the Asia-Pacific region. Now, the consequences for our own nation are far less significant. Our relations on matters cultural, economic, security and diplomatic will remain close, regardless. Malcolm Turnbull has done his British counterpart the favour of arguing gently for the Remain cause. But David Cameron has not received the benefits he might have expected from such endorsements. The British Prime Minister has had global leaders from Barack Obama down amplify the Remain case. Yet polls show voters will take their own cues and have their own say. Lectures from large financial and multilateral organisations, and even millionaire pop stars such as Bob Geldof, have had a similar effect.

As we saw with our republic debate, this kind of pontification from the so-called elites doesn’t carry the weight many of them may imagine. This issue is rightly in the hands of UK (and not EU) voters. Given recent experience, we think most Australians would understand a nation reasserting control over its borders, immigration and judicial systems.