There has been a lot said and written about the European Union in the past three years, with many people supporting it and others doing the exact opposite.
However, we're not sure if we've ever heard the organisation compared to Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist party of 1930s Germany.
Some pro-EU MPs have been likened to Nazis by pro-Brexit campaigners but according to Jack Crosby, a former athlete turned Brexiteer, the EU is reminiscent of Hitler's overall plans for Europe, had he have won the Second World War.
In a tweet where he linked an article to the website 'Guerilla Brexit', he claimed that the EU's supposed plans for an army are the same as Hitler's military ambitions, and you can imagine what the replies were like:
I’ve studied Nazi Germany in great detail and know as a matter of fact Hitlers plans for Europe are that of the EU’… https://t.co/CfzQgUExWl— Jack Crosby (@Jack Crosby) 1560782643
@JACrosby95 Well you didn't study very hard did you, numptyballs— Rob (@Rob) 1560783900
@JACrosby95 I suspect you have a very interesting bookshelf.— Jasper Sharp (@Jasper Sharp) 1560788749
@JACrosby95 "centre right political viewpoint" aye right sparky. https://t.co/hnt5NA7XlA— Rick Bean (@Rick Bean) 1560788205
@JACrosby95 Unsure what you have studied but I suggest you need to access a psychologist.— Sandra Pascoal - Lima (@Sandra Pascoal - Lima) 1560789763
@JACrosby95 Running was probably a better career choice for you.— Alfie Goodrich (@Alfie Goodrich) 1560808902
@JACrosby95 Oh come on Jack. I studied History. My Wife is a History Teacher. This is verifiable nonsense. Hitler w… https://t.co/X4mmwQ0yD9— David Wimble (@David Wimble) 1560783146
@JACrosby95 Slight problem there... https://t.co/7pwDq3buc4— JK #rEUnionist #freenazanin (@JK #rEUnionist #freenazanin) 1560784715
Hitler wanted super fast broadband & a ban on single use plastic? https://t.co/G7NJvizz7x— 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗻 (@𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗻) 1560793545
@JACrosby95 Yeah, I'm sure the Nazi plan was all about 28 countries getting around a table and voting on what the s… https://t.co/TauiObxsFQ— Jim Cornelius🇪🇺🇬🇧 🇮🇪🍋☕️🍊 (@Jim Cornelius🇪🇺🇬🇧 🇮🇪🍋☕️🍊) 1560808004
@JACrosby95 You may have been a good athlete Jack but you're a truly terrible historian. This is demonstrably bollocks.— jon henley (@jon henley) 1560785735
Speculation about an EU army has run rife for years now and it is not entirely untrue. Although the union doesn't have its own army, it does encourage cooperation between its own member states with both Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel championing the idea in December.
However, the EU does not hold any power over its states which would force them into such an agreement, with each country allowed to right to veto such a decision and a unanimous decision would need to be reached in order for it to be approved.
As it stands the UK opposes such an idea, with the deputy leader of the House of Lords, Earl Howe, stating in June 2016:
The prime minister has been clear that the UK will never be part of a European Army. We have consistently said that we will oppose any measures which would undermine member states' competence for their own military forces, or lead to competition and duplication with NATO, which is the cornerstone of our defence.
HT The Poke