Confident Britishness will improve our European relationships, says Ed Balls, as Timothy Garton-Ash calls for Brits to emulate other Europeans an embrace both national and EU flags.

Speakers: Timothy Garton-Ash, Ed Balls, Mark Leonard, Claude Moraes, Gisela Stuart

A European identity has always been constructed against a changing 'other', leading writer Timothy Garton Ash told the 'Whose Europe is it anyway' session of the Fabian Britishness conference.

In the eighth century the 'other' was Islam, after world war two it was the Soviet Union and in the 21st century the 'other' is now America. 'To be European is to not be American. For the first time we should define ourselves not by what we are against – not by creating a new enemy'.

Claude Moraes MEP said a Europe of values was needed to achieve this. 'People don't see Europe as translating into human rights or social cohesion. The idea of a Europe of values hasn't translated to the people.' He argued 'politicians have not yet defined what we want for Europe. The most important thing in Europe is a value system, where we identity the benefits of co-operation'.

Ed Balls said that the Britishness debate could help the UK deal with Europe: 'We need to be a confident Britain to be an effective player in Europe.' On the question of European identity, he argued that the 'constitution was rejected because the founding fathers were wrong; over time people have looked more to national identities' He concluded that one way of resolving this tension would be 'to see Europe as a commonwealth'. Ed Balls challenged the Conservative position which 'defined Britishness as been opposed to Europe', arguing 'the national interest is best pursued through a European environment- a commonwealth of European states'.

Mark Leonard partly agreed with this position arguing that 'Europe is at its weakest when it tries to become a nation state' and 'at its strongest when dealing with diversity' Leonard remarked that a European identity had a political dimension in particular 'attitude to the state, beliefs in social justice, multiculturalism are very different to other parts of the world'. Leonard argued that the British were 'as European as anyone else', he argued that British people are very European in behaviour, particularly travel patterns and culinary tastes, but less relaxed in the political sphere'

Timothy Garton-Ash agreed that 'the British lifestyle and social model was very European', however' he argued that 'British identity is a lot less European'. Garton Ash also commented on the British flag on the stage, noting that 'in any other European country there would be a national flag and a European flag'.

In response to a delegate who frustrated at the left's timidity in making the case for Europe, Timothy Garton Ash said he would like to see the government do more to challenge the Murdoch press in this area. He argued'we need politicians to tell the extraordinary success story that is the EU'. Mark Leonard said 'we should celebrate the benefits of Europe', arguing that as a model for trade collaboration, Europe will write the rules of the 21st Century.

Whose Europe? Is there a European dream anymore? with Timothy Garton Ash (Guardian and Oxford University); Ed Balls MP; Claude Moraes MEP; Mark Leonard, Centre for European Reform; Chair: Gisela Stuart MP. This panel debate took part at the Fabian New Year Conference 'Who do we want to be? The Future of Britishness' on January 14, 2006, at Imperial College London.