There is no doubt that the smug, complacent grandees of the European Union took a big hit earlier this week when the electorate in virtually all member states voted against their policies.

In Britain, the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) won more seats than any other political party, leaving the big two parties shell-shocked and the pro-Europe Liberal Democrats on the verge of extinction.

Democracy doesn’t always work but the message sent out loud and clear by the people of Europe to the European Union is this; we don’t like your policies, we have had enough of being patronised and are tired of being told what is good for us by clueless and corrupt politicians. We are sick of policies based on idealism rather than common sense and if you don’t listen to us and give us what we want we will vote for those who will.

The unfortunate downside to all of this however is that people, almost in desperation, are turning towards extremist political parties, such as the far right in France, and that has to be a cause for concern. For example, control of mass immigration is acceptable and logical but racism and violence are not.

The pendulum needs to swing away from the idealistic and out of touch liberals who run the European Union but it must not swing too far the other way. Europe requires positive action, not reaction. There is a difference, as students of pre-war German history know only too well.