Tracing England’s roots in Europe goes back to the beginning of time

If our planet was born 24 hours ago, then life began eight hours ago; fish appeared in the oceans 45 minutes ago; our ancestors in Africa lived as naked bipedals side-by-side with apes 30 seconds ago and human civilisation, as we know it, began only 0.75 seconds ago. The events of the last 100 years, including the foundation of the European Union, happened only milliseconds ago. For too long, British politicians in fringe political parties have claimed that Britain is of European origin but it is not “in” Europe.

This perception of Britain as detached from Europe is historic nonsense. It should be challenged, ridiculed and discarded. What is the origin of Britons? Bryan Sykes (The Blood of the Isles,) Stephen Oppenheimer (The Origins of the British,) and academics at Oxford and London University have published scientific evidence suggesting that most ancient Britons descended from the Basques in northern Spain, whose own ancestors were Egyptian and Berber hunter gatherers from north Africa when they migrated to the Iberian peninsula around 15,000 BC.

Subsequently, the Phoenicians came to Britain in 5,000BC, followed by people from Belgium, Flanders, Gaul and Italy. The Roman rule of Britain (50 BC to 350 AD) impacted on its genetic pool, politics, society and religion. Subsequent invasions of Britain by the Danes, Norwegians, Swedish, Anglos and Saxons from Germany and the French made Britain truly European well before the EU was even conceived. William, the Duke of Normandy, invaded Britain in 1066. French was the language of the English royal court for more than 300 years.

In 1717, Prince George of Hanover was invited by the British parliament to be King. He spoke very little English and preferred his own country and culture. His son was crowned King George II in 1727, who, supported by his Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, helped create a new working relationship between King and parliament that survives to this day. His son, King George III, led Britain to war with the French and Americans and loss of its colonies.

THE THIN BLOOD LINE

Queen Victoria’s mother was German. Victoria chose to marry her German cousin Albert. German was their language of choice in private. Albert’s influence was significant. Their numerous children married European princes and princesses. Queen Elizabeth II is related to most European monarchs. Over the last 15,000 years, the Basques from Spain, Belgians, Flemish, Gauls, Romans, Scandinavians, Anglo-Saxons from Germany, and the French settled in Britain.

In the last 100 years, thousands of Italians, Greeks, Poles, Hungarians, Russians and others came to Britain as they fled from persecution in their own countries. Virtually every family in Britain can trace their European roots. That makes Britain more European than any other country in the EU. Despite a common human origin, an historic genetic union, through invasion, settlement, centuries of trade with Europe and a shared Christian faith, some people in Britain remain sceptical of Europe.

Europeans have been at war with each other for 2000 years. Wars for territory and trade as well as religious persecution forced many Europeans to cross national boundaries in search of work and peace. World War I (1914-1918) resulted in death, poverty and homelessness for millions of families. Sixty million people worldwide, including 20 million Russians, died in World War II. It maimed, impoverished and displaced many more. It scarred and shamed humanity forever when two atomic bombs burnt to death millions of innocent civilians. Many Europeans, including acclaimed scientists, musicians, artists and engineers emigrated to the US and Canada. European industry and commerce were destroyed.

The Iron Curtain imposed misery and hardship on Europeans as they became victims of years of political hostility, military rivalry and espionage between the US and Russia. Millions of Europeans struggled to build their homes and find employment under Russian communism and dictatorship that denied them democracy and freedom. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was founded in 1949. It is a wide and deep military alliance linking major European nations with the United States and Canada. It is an organisation where all member nations share sovereignty, influence and responsibility. The former Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, is the incoming Secretary General of NATO. Americans provide the hardware while Europeans manage the software. NATO is costly but it does offer excellent security. It guarantees peace and prosperity for all nations in the European Union and beyond.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

Germany and France helped create the European Coal & Steel Community to strengthen European alliance and prevent war. In 1955, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland convened in Rome to sign the Treaty of Rome that laid the foundation of today’s European Union. Britain was invited to attend and be a founder member. Britain declined without any debate in Westminster. This was an historic mistake and a lost opportunity to lead Europe.

British membership in 1955 could have helped to create:- -The European Commission as a true civil service – transparent, accountable and subservient to Parliament -Faster enlargement of the EU would have facilitated an earlier lifting of the Iron Curtain -Tragedies in Czechoslovakia and the Balkans would have been prevented -Free and fair trade beyond the EU would have helped lift the living standards of poor countries -Competition and subsidiarity would be the hallmarks of the EU economy Sadly, the European Commission continues to be the weakest institution of the EU.

European technocrats – not reject and recycled politicians appointed by political parties - should manage a transparent and accountable civil service responding to the needs of the European citizens. Private sector discipline and direct public access to the Commission and European Parliament should drive the EU. Political parties must not use the party list for nominations to the European parliament to park their redundant politicians, faithful senior staff and their financial sponsors.

European citizens have been deprived of selecting and electing industrialists, entrepreneurs and experienced civilians who are unwilling to be puppets of political parties but who are willing to serve their community, region, nation and Europe. The EU can offer freedom, prosperity and peace more effectively at a lower cost if it uses extensively information technology, including e-government. Public access would be deeper and wider. Performance and cost of Commission officials and parliamentarians would be exposed and assessed. European citizens will demand equal efficiency from their own national governments and would be delighted to participate in European elections as they would have a direct stake in its success!