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Sir, Martin Wolf’s cogent contribution to the Brexit debate (“Myths and fantasies in the case for Brexit”, April 27) reminds us that many of the arguments have been framed largely in terms of narrow economic interests. Other advocates of the Leave campaign express nostalgia for a pristine form of Westphalian sovereignty or imperial global influence.
What the Leavers seem to have lost sight of is the raison d’être for creating the community: to establish a system of regional governance that would significantly mitigate if not eliminate the forces that brought the continent to catastrophic war twice in the 20th century.
The UK’s departure from an already stressed, struggling enterprise could tip the Union into collapse, compounding the manifold problems that are plaguing what has arguably been the most successful liberal peace experiment in history.
One can only imagine, for instance, the regional consequences of 28 different approaches to the worst refugee crisis since the second world war, Islamic State-inspired terrorism, the rise of fascistic domestic politics and Russian president Vladimir Putin’s signature “hybrid warfare”.
Between now and June 23, therefore, Britons have a unique opportunity to leverage their vast soft power by deciding to remain within the Union: in effect, reprising their historical role of guaranteeing the peace and security of the European continent.
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