UNLESS one takes more than a passing interest in politics, particularly European politics, one is hoping that it is those, who by dint of their employment or experience in such matters, will be able to assist the electorate in deciding whether it will be best for themselves and/or their country to vote Leave or Stay in the forthcoming referendum.

To lend an ear to British politicians currently representing us at Westminster might be considered to be a very good place to start, particularly anyone adopting a leading role in either of the Stay or Leave campaigns.

These politicians would surely be up-to-speed on their subject because apart from anything else they would not want to appear superficial or lightweight when offering their advice.

They would want, surely, to appear authoritative at least, or maybe an expert.

So for someone who has represented the Labour Party at the despatch box at Prime Minister’s Question Time, Harriet Harman MP would appear to be a prime source of information for anyone considering voting for Britain to remain in the EU.

That supposition was comprehensively despatched yesterday when Ms Harman – a ‘Remainer’ of the highest profile – appeared on the BBC TV’s Sunday Politics show.

Asked about gender equality within the EU, she was passionate regarding all that she thought that the EU had achieved in that respect.

Pay parity was one achievement she thought worthy of mention – although I’m not sure that that has been accomplished yet.

Indeed the brave women workers of Ford Dagenham in the time of Barbara Castle MP arguably achieved more than the EU or Westminster have in this regard (and without the salaries of MEPs).

Indeed it’s unlikely that they could again make such an impact on their working pay and conditions as their past protests would have them marked down nowadays as ‘extremists’ in the eyes of current Westminster lawmakers. Ms Harman made no mention of this state of affairs.

Staying on the subject of gender, Ms Harman was then asked to comment on the possible favouritism displayed by the EU in appointing men to the positions of all seven of their Presidents (of the Court of Justice, of The Commission etc).

She declined.

She was then asked if she could name any of them from their photos then exhibited.

Remarkably – nay, astonishingly for a British MP of long standing – she could not recognise nor name a single one of those politicians who hold the fate of the whole of Europe in their hands.

She even suggested that they might have been ‘picked at random’ by the BBC (presumably to catch her out)!

This shocking lack of knowledge (or disinterest?) on Ms Harman’s part regarding matters European should maybe serve as a warning to prospective voters.

How much more of the propaganda put forward by the ‘Remainers’ is similarly threadbare?

How much of it in any way authoritative?

A final, shocking thought is that if the EU were to have Vladimir Putin or Robert Mugabe as one of its Presidents of High Office, Ms Harman would apparently not know and nor would she care.

British voters deserve better.

Roger Gough

Minchinhampton