Why we need European unity now more than ever before - Yorkshire Post Letters

I wholeheartedly agree with the leader writer who explained so succinctly why Europeans need unity to counter the threat from Russia (The Yorkshire Post, March 27). I also applaud Harrogate correspondent ME Wright’s description of Brexit in a letter on the same day as a “petulant flounce”. It just doesn’t seem so clever now does it, walking away from our closest allies?

Readers will be aware that I have repeatedly pointed out that Britain’s foreign and defence policy are often shaped by the vagaries, whims even, of American voters. Hence in 2009 Britain had to react to the arrival of a president whose views on the Iraq war were diametrically opposed to those of the previous incumbent, the second Bush.

Few commentators predicted the depth of the change in direction of American foreign policy these last few weeks and we have been left in no doubt as to the true feelings of many in the US administration following a journalist’s disclosure of apparently secret policy discussions.

Our prime minister is to be commended for working closely with the French government to support Ukraine and lead a peacekeeping force. Mr Putin isn’t proving as accommodating to Mr Trump as the latter expected.

Britain and France are militarily Europe’s leading powers. Germany needs to imitate Poland and get its act together. France is the strongest with its nuclear weapons being entirely French controlled. An Internet search will show to what extent the British nuclear deterrent depends on American goodwill.

Military co-operation between London and Paris is intense and has been since the Crimean War, where 170 years ago and for the first time ever, British and French troops fought together to counter an expansionist Russia.

It's time to plan for a European Defence Union (EDU) including Ukraine and to be led by Britain and France. It would be possible for most countries to be part of the EDU and NATO, but maybe Ukraine wouldn’t be in the latter.

Canada could associate with it. I know Canada well and it’s a European country in all but geography. Most Americans consider Canada a socialist country so that’s in its favour.

It’s also time to reverse the “petulant flounce”. I want a trade deal with the US. A European American deal. But Canada and Mexico already have one and Mr Trump has destroyed it.

What I really want is for the UK to rejoin the EU Customs Union and perhaps with caveats the Single Market. Such steps would give Britain a leading role in Europe. This always was the patriotic choice. Recent events in the world of Realpolitik have made it the most relevant and realistic.

Let’s have that national debate about how best Britain can develop a European future. I offer myself as chair.