Friends and allies

The European Union’s official goal — an ever-closer union of people — remains its single most attractive feature. Our continent is marked by its diversity: nowhere can you find a greater range of languages, histories and cultures. Closer co-operation is within everyone’s interests, and the EU has done much to facilitating this. Its mistake was a lack of respect for the democratic traditions of its member states, and when it sought to impose a fixed set of rules over the most culturally and economically diverse club of nations it became a source of instability in Europe. The rise of populist parties in Europe is the most visible sign of the over-reach.

Populism is, always and everywhere, a sign that established political parties have failed to respond to new concerns. In Britain, we tend to internalise our chaos and have it played out in parliament rather than in the streets. But the failure of parliament to take Britain out of the European Union, as MPs had collectively promised to do when they passed Article 50, will be an invitation for protest parties – especially if there is to be a long extension of EU membership. We are entering a new, unpredictable stage.

The Tories had good reason to try doing everything they could to avoid fighting the European Parliament elections. Polls suggest Nigel Farage’s old party, Ukip, and his new one, the Brexit Party, would together outscore the Tories. The election may also provide an opportunity for new parties such as Chuka Umunna’s Change UK. At present, these parties have very little in the way of organisation, money or candidates. Soon, they might have MEPs, money and a base from which to threaten the other main parties. A few months ago, Britain could say that it had no vacancy for populists because the established parties had got the message and were responding to the demand for change.