{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Sgwrs Tei Bow","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.clarkeroberts.co.uk\/cy","author_name":"Clarke Roberts","author_url":"https:\/\/www.clarkeroberts.co.uk\/cy\/author\/clarke-roberts\/","title":"Better Off Together | Bow Tie Talks","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"jZmRdSZyPt\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarkeroberts.co.uk\/cy\/2016\/02\/22\/better-off-together\/\">Better Off Together<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarkeroberts.co.uk\/cy\/2016\/02\/22\/better-off-together\/embed\/#?secret=jZmRdSZyPt\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Better Off Together&#8221; &#8212; Bow Tie Talks\" data-secret=\"jZmRdSZyPt\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/www.clarkeroberts.co.uk\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>","description":"For those of you who know me or any of you who read this blog, you&#8217;ll probably have come to learn three things from my writings. The first is that I&#8217;m a theologian. The second is that I&#8217;m a Liberal Democrat. The third is that I&#8217;ve been playing the okey-kokey with Britain&#8217;s relationship with the European Union. The last piece I wrote explored the ideas I had that saw the case to remain in the European Union as idealism and the case to leave, as realism. Whilst I still maintain\u00a0some of the things I wrote in that article after further consideration, I have come to the conclusion that to remain in the European Union is in fact the\u00a0right\u00a0choice for the UK to make. What&#8217;s Changed? I by no means accept the EU as it is. It is deeply undemocratic and as it currently stands, infringes somewhat on the power of the UK Parliament. Cameron&#8217;s reform deal, whilst derided by many, is a vision for what the EU can become. He is the first European leader to successfully renegotiate the terms of a country&#8217;s membership and I am completely convinced that, although his reforms could go much further, it is certainly a step in the right direction. What this has demonstrated is the opportunity and ability for EU leaders to achieve reform. I&#8217;ve also spent a lot of time researching the EU, a topic which by my own admission, I still do not claim to know vasts about. I&#8217;m not a politics graduate, I&#8217;m a theologian. My interest in politics has up until recently, been as merely an invested spectator keeping an eye on the political world from the comfort of my pyjamas. I do not have the years of knowledge and experience to call upon countless theoretical arguments for why the EU is a good or bad thing, nor am I an economist &#8211; if you don&#8217;t believe me, check my bank statements! I am not familiar with economic policies nor the ins and outs of complex trade agreements that seem to benefit\/hinder Britain&#8217;s financial security. Like many people, I am making my decision on how to vote based on what is easily accessible to those who are not trained in the language of politics. From what I&#8217;ve come to learn, it seems clear that the European Union benefits the UK greatly, both financially and culturally. Voting to stay is to me, to most rational option. Here&#8217;s why: 1) Our Status and Influence One of the key arguments from either side of the campaign appears to be centered on the idea of the UK&#8217;s power, status and influence on the world stage. The Out campaign claim that Britain&#8217;s standing in the world will be greatly improved by leaving the EU, stating that faith in the UK&#8217;s historical political clout is something that many in the world still revere. I am extremely proud to be British. My flat and car are adorned with idols featuring the iconic Union Jack. I love [&hellip;]"}