Why I support the stay IN the EU campaign

The economic arguments are strong. But when I took part in the pro EU campaign for the referendum in the 1970s it was because I wanted my generation to be the first not be be embroiled in a European conflict. My Grandparents lives were damaged by the Great War, and my parents by World War Two. Peace leads to prosperity and economic cooperation to genuine partnership. You don't fight people you have as partners.

The success of the EU is remarkable - and in saying this I am not being myopic about the last decade. Indeed the strength of the EU members has been seen in the way the Union has worked together to solve the huge problems of the global financial and banking crisis. Compare this with the way the nationalism of the early 1930s (a consequence of the last global financial meltdown) has been replaced by cooperation in Europe.

Nationalism is the most dangerous of all the "isms" . Those who are paranoid about the EU in UKIP and the Right Wing of the Conservative Party are truly dangerous in their faux patriotism and dangerous nationalism. Now is not the time to turn inwards and erect barriers. Now is the time to play a full part in building the united, peaceful, prosperous Europe that can be such a force for good for all our people.