Richard Harrington MP: An EU debate amounts to a “kneejerk indulgence” for Eurosceptics
Posted: October 20th, 2011 | Author: chrisbl1234 | Filed under: News from Parliament, The People's Pledge Blog | 52 Comments »Richard Harrington, Tory MP for Watford, says the EU vote equals a folly for Conservative Eurosceptics and an unnecessary diversion for Government.
The talk of the tea room has been whether members are voting for or against the referendum motion now to be debated on Monday. I believe the motion is naive and over simplistic. It is asking the wrong question at the wrong time and I think it should be resisted by all who wish to reform Europe. It plays into the hands of our political opponents who wish to see us divided and dysfunctional about an issue that we have plenty of time to deal with whilst we are in Government, which I hope will be for many years to come.
Like many Conservatives I welcome the strengths of our partnership in terms of trade and security with Europe but recognise there is a strong need for reform. There is no one answer to addressing the issues posed by our membership of the EU, and there is certainly no one question to be asked about our position.
The issue of referendum was clearly addressed in our manifesto and programme for Government; that this is not the time.
It is feckless only 18 months into this Government with so many pressing issues to address, to spend vast amounts of money and time persuading the electorate that an answer yes or no to Europe can be the solution to the problems facing them. The third alternative suggested in the motion that our Government should renegotiate the terms is absurd and ridiculously over simplistic. Assuming it was passed, what would the Government be mandated to negotiate- what terms, what conditions, what timescale etc? In the meantime, the appalling state of the UK’s economy, unemployment and social problems cannot be put on the backburner to allow a kneejerk indulgence for Euroscepticism.
The Government has not ignored the pressing issues of our membership and has taken determined action to change the balance of sovereignty and reducing spending. This is testament of the Government’s ability to protect Britain’s rights in its position as a member state as part of the Governments ongoing mandate of reform in both Westminster and Brussels.
The question over Europe is grey and it is murky. When there is such a big cloud over Europe with financial crisis’s engulfing many member states any debate on this issue is inevitably clouded by scaremongering and hyperbole. It is seemingly an impulsive reaction which gives a false illusion of dealing with the issue, whereas in reality it creates a bulldozer effect on an issue that needs a careful and considered approach over time. It is gutter politics to pretend that David Cameron is weak on Europe simply because he does not believe now is the time for referendum.
Inevitably the debate next week will see several colleagues in our party and others posturing over whether or not we should be in Europe. Many of these colleagues will have been making these arguments for many years and will still be able to make these arguments in years to come. I am not suggesting that we remove this matter permanently from the Commons, but that we grant the Prime Minister a little longer than 18 months in Government to allow for recent changes to embed, deal with the more pressing problems facing us and for him to fulfil the commitments he has already made in dealing with Europe.
We should come back to this debate at a time when heads are a little clearer, crisis is not on our doorstep and we have allowed time for the Government to make the changes on the mandates on which we were elected. By then and only then will we have the time and space for a reasoned debate on Europe.
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To read article in full see ConservativeHome
With respect I totally disagree with Richard Harrington. We have always been in crisis for as far back as I can remember so for me this present financial crisis is no difference to the hundreds that have gone before. If we follow Mr.Harrington’s advice and put this on the back burner, it will never move to the front. There is always an excuse for not doing something but it takes effort and determination to get off your butt and make a difference. I suggest he do exactly that.
Geoffrey Langford.
I suggest Mr Harrington you get off of your backside and listen to what the people of Watford want. It is completely different to what you are telling the people what they want. Far too long you arrogant poloticians are dictating what you want without listening to your electorate. I live in Croxley Green down the road from Watford, I have yet to meet somebody who says they want to stay in the EU. What’s in it for you Mr Harrington ? Perhaps a nice cushy job as an MEP ?????
At the time of the last referendum the country voted for the Common Market filled with disinformation thanks to another Tory Prime Minister. Now that we have seen what was really on the table we wouild like the opportunity to vote again. It’s a bit like a general election, we vote for what we think we are going to receive and then quickly find out it is not at all what we were promised. This time it has taken 36 years not 5 years and it is time we were consulted again. Hardly a kneejerk indulgence.
David Cameron was the man who before the election thought that a referendum was a good idea, what happened between then and now, if he doesnt address the issue soon there wont be another term in government, its funny that the more pressing issues are more important and they find any amount of money to help out other countries when they are destroying our own interest at home and not giving our own people jobs, everything is being desimated at home, how can there be justification in the billions of pounds given to the E U, and are own people cant switch there heating on, your in cuckoo land.
The Government has not ignored the pressing issues of our membership and has taken determined action to change the balance of sovereignty and reducing spending…..If this is true why are we paying more now into the EU than last year and more into the IMF to pay more again for the Euro?
There is NO time left before we have to vote on leaving the EU. All of the time that we remain within the EU we are dragged further into the mire. All three parties promised a referendum if we voted them into power. we have kept our end of the bargain and NOW is the time for them to keep theirs. The Government found time to have a referendum on AV which was not wanted by anybody except the fringe idiots in the LibDems.
The European Union has always been grey and murky. It is nothing more than an organisation of gangsters.
I understand that the UK will be Chair of the EU starting September and dear David doesn`t want anyone to spoil his day in the sun.
Here`s to the eradication of the EU and all the pompous, arrogant, smug Cons/libsdems/lab.
I have posted a response to the Conservative Home website, pointing out how disappointed I am by my local Watford MP’s remarks and I have suggested that all those other respondents who have expressed disappointment should attend our People’s Pledge conference on Saturday. I am extremely busy with a number of matters at present but I fully intend to respond directly to Richard Harrington on a point-by-point basis in due course. Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention, which I hope to follow up at a local level through the local media.
“The question over Europe is grey and it is murky” It is indeed, and that’s how it always will be because that’s the way the political parasites can pull the wool over the electorates eyes. Blinding the electorate helps to create a sense anxiety then they can pretend to affect a solution. The world will not end if GB leaves the EU. It will effect the flat arse politicians as there will not be enough jobs to go around until they dream up another layer of legislators to be kept at the tax payers expense, so they are not pissing in the tent as LBJ would have it. The following sums it up for me.
” We must beware of trying to build a society in which nobody counts for anything except a politician or an official. A society where enterprise gains no reward and thrift no privileges” Winston Churchill.
What we want in the UK is DEMOCRACY , Libya has it, we need it,
Can we have a BRITISH SPRING. ??????????? Bob Owens
I`ve only read the first paragraph which is more than enough!! The stupidity and arrogance of this man is beyond words. If he thinks that this sought of attitude is going to keep himself and like minded people in government he needs to remember that this is a government of `DEFAULT`. NOBODY voted for them!! NOBODY wants them!! In effect what we have in Parliament is another `UNELECTED` quango that adopts the arrogance of it`s Brussells masters`!!
Please read the response from my MP.
Dear Anne
Thanks for your email about a proposed referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union.
Britain currently faces tough economic challenges, with high inflation, rising unemployment and stagnant growth.
Indeed, in the last nine months the UK economy has not grown at all. Over the last year only Japan has grown more slowly in the G7 and only Greece, Portugal, Denmark and Hungary have grown more slowly in the EU. One in five young people are out of work and there are now more women unemployed than any time since 1988.
It is in that context that we make judgements about Britain’s membership of the European Union. Labour is not opposed to having referenda on European questions when a Government seeks to make a major change to Britain’s relationship with the European Union. For example, it was a Labour Government in 1975 that held instituted a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union and Labour believes that if any future government wanted to try and take Britain into the euro, they would need to win the British people’s backing in a referendum.
But it is Labour’s assessment, shared by the leaders of all the main parties in the UK, that it is in Britain’s interest to remain members of the European Union.
Membership of the European Union is vital to Britain’s growth and prosperity:
· 3.5 million UK jobs are linked directly or indirectly to UK trade with the rest of the European Union according to official analysis
· European markets account for half of the UK’s overall exports of goods and services
· Eight out of the UK’s ten main export markets are in the European Union
We did not seek a mandate for this referendum at the last election and we do not wish to leave the European Union now.
We do not believe the case for this referendum has been made and believe it would create uncertainty that could put at risk investment in the UK.
Labour’s position is that Britain should be focussed on jobs and growth, not cutting ourselves off from major export markets that British jobs depend on. It is campaigning for that jobs and growth, and against the policies of the Tory-led Government that have led to flatlining growth and increasing unemployment in Britain, that will remain Labour’s priority in the months ahead.
Best wishes
Graham
Graham Jones MP
50 Abbey Street
Accrington
BB5 1EE
Tel: 01254 382283
Fax: 01254 398089
http://hhgrahamjones.blogspot.com
I am absolutely certain that the Conservative Party , PROMISED a referendum on the EU, some Honourable Members have terribly short memories.
You are so far away from the real world Mr Harrington that I despair. I will be amazed if you have a single concern about you or your familly being even slightly inconvenienced.
WAKE UP!! Gaddafi thought that his people would die for him. We need a say on our future no less that the Lybians. You and your kind do not automatically know what is right.
Richard Harrington – Wake up. There won’t be another chance for you or your appalling party. Cameron couldn’t get a majority after the worst Labour government in living memory because of his stance on Europe. He will never get into power again, now that he has shown his cards. The EU ‘iS’ the problem and will bleed us dry until they have full economic and political control over every member state. This has always been the plan and clearly it is only UK politicians who have tried to hide this from the public for so long.
At the rate of increased immigration under the Tories and the birth rates of Labours’ imported benefit dependants, we will no longer have a majority of people who even identify themselves with this country in another few years. The only time to leave is now. Despite all of your lies, there is a trade deficit and we are a massive contributor to the EU and certainly not a benefactor. If you want to support this corrupt and unaccountable group of thugs, be our guest – but you won’t be taking us for a ride any longer.
You pathetic apology for a Cameron groupie.
Did you get the order from the whips to print this rubbish as it could help your parliamentary career?
The following comment can be seen on the Conservative Home web site:-
John Dowdle said…
As a Watford resident, I am extremely disappointed by the remarks of our local MP and I shall be contacting him to let him know this. I will be attending the People’s Pledge Conference at 10.00 this Saturday, 22nd October, which is being held to consider “The Eurozone Crisis and The Case for an EU Referendum” at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster. I suggest all those of you who have responded negatively to Richard Harrington’s remarks above should attend this conference and work with us to achieve what the British people are fully entitled to: a stay-in or get-out referendum. Forget trying to re-negotiate; it will never happen. It is high time that the democratic deficit (a peculiarly EU institution) was abolished in our country so that the people of our country can finally, once-and-for-all-time decide on whether or not they wish to remain in an ever-closer union which steals away UK sovereignty and clearly diminishes our international capacity to grow and trade with the entire world, not just some small corner of it. Alternatively, the people of our country may just decide that they do possess the self-confidence and abilities required to make our way in the world with dignity and gravitas. Either way, it should be their decision and not just the enforced dictat of a political system which long ago lost its way and left the people of this country in the lurch.
but that we grant the Prime Minister a little longer than 18 months in Government to allow for recent changes to embed, deal with the more pressing problems facing us and for him to fulfil the commitments he has already made in dealing with Europe.
——————————————————————
Obviously it was a different David Cameron who promised a YES or NO referendum two years before the last General election. That was one promise swept under the carpet.
……crisis is not on our doorstep and we have allowed time for the Government to make the changes on the mandates on which we were elected.
———————————————-
I may be suffering senility but I do not recall a mandate in the Tory manifesto to hold a referendum on AV which cost us £80+million when the result was known before the ballot papers were printed.. At least it put the LibDems in their place for another couple of decades.
What Richard Harrington MP fails to mention is that Cameron is allowing his junior partners to rule the roost and doing everything to please them instead of acting like a Prime Minister and govern. He promised the coalition would last a full parliament and is doing everything in his power to keep that promise regardless of the electorate or the best interests of the country in general.
It was Clegg who categorically said at his conference that the European Human Rights Act was going to stay, in other words don’t dare touch it Cameron because you will lose. Cameron has apparently taken his advice on the suposition they are forming a British Bill of Rights. We already have one it was passed in 1864 and survived without problems for 300 years.
As for the vote on Monday Cameron has put a three line whipp out for our socalled MP’s to vote against the amendment regardless of their views or those of their constituents, is that to please his junior partners? After all their leader is married to a Spaniard and is definitely proEurope. If a referendum goes against Cameron and voted to leave the EU it would strengthen his hand in negotiating a better deal and regain all the things Europe has taken away from us before they insist we have another referendum as they did to the Irish.
It is the electorates democratic right to have a vote,and if we were not tied to Brussels then we could actually deal with the more important problems that R.Harrington refers to .
I meant beneficiary – not benefactor above!
Unfortunately, there have been so many broken promises on Europe already that I doubt the public is willing to trust ministers’ assurances that they’re just waiting for the right moment. All anybody ever seems to do in government is say, “Now isn’t the right time. Maybe later.”
I remember Micheal Portillo in about 1995 swearing to “stop the rot”, but nothing’s changed. I remember “Yes Minister” episodes mocking the EEC’s corruption and profligacy, but — guess what! — a third of a century later, nothing has changed!
So ministers can hardly be surprised if people are no longer willing to listen to “Maybe later”. At some point, ministers have got to stop making wish lists and do something, otherwise people will run out of patience and the whole situation will explode out of their control. To quote Martin Luther King, “There come a point when people have had enough.”
Cameron only has himself to blame. He started this fight.
Public petitions were his own initiative, to enhance the public’s faith in the political process. This particular petition had the required number of signatures, so the Commons was duty bound to schedule a debate.
It was always inevitable that Cameron’s initiative would produce, sooner or later, a debate that was awkward for the government. But rather than saying, “This is the people exercising the rights that I gave them. What a wonderful democracy we are!” Cameron chose to undermine his own initiative by trying to manipulate the result.
This makes a mockery of the whole mechanism — “The people can petition Parliament to debate anything I’d quite like it to debate anyway”! It should have been predictable that efforts to interfere with the process were going to go down like a lead balloon, if not with MP’s, most certainly with the public which this whole initiative was supposed to enfranchise!
So Cameron has given Parliament a privilege, in line with his electoral commitment to restore the Commons’ supremacy in the British political system. It says a deal about David Cameron’s attitude toward that so-called democracy — all fluff and hot air to keep the proles happy, but to be circumvented should it ever threaten to obstruct the government’s ambitions — that he apparently imagined the Commons wouldn’t actually exercise its new-found power; or at least, not in any way that Cameron didn’t approve of. Should it be surprising that Cameron is such a Europhile — birds of a feather, and all that?
If you were wondering whether all Cameron’s past excuses for inaction on Europe — all the hints and flip-flops, all the “I’m sharpening my pencil” and “We will not let matters rest” –were sincere, or merely hot air to fob off his critics, I think you’ve got your answer now.
Make no mistake: this dog’s dinner is wholly of the dog’s making. I for one am grateful that the Commons is, for the first time in years, doing its job: representing the People and providing a check on government. What does it say for our democracy that this is such an unfamiliar situation these days that some people actually think the Commons is acting out of order!
Mr Harrington has simply failed to grasp the reality of the current mind frame of the British people!
We are not Europeans, but we are proudly and independentlyBritish, We view the corrupt EU as the worst example of elitist govenance and institutional criminality that only benefits those who control its nefarious activities at the expense of the citizens of its constituent nations.
It is time that our politicians carried out the will of the electorate instead of acting as parasites on the body of our nation.
What a poor excuse. Is that the best he can come up with?
The cost of a referendum pales into insignificance compared to the money that we hose into the EU – even without the bailout billions. When our country is up to its eyes in debt, now IS the time to address this issue.
PS The argument might be a little stronger if Cameron et al were working hard on implementing all the other promises they made before the election. Alas, they seem to be languishing on the shelf whilst unmandated changes such as tuition fees, a presumption FOR development, oil wars etc take centre stage.
2 points:
1. If the Conservative Party had allowed proper debate on the EU instead of stifling people who do not agree with the Conservative part of this government’s ridiculous stance of trying to negotiate with the EU, who are not interested since once a power is lost to the EU it cannot (in their eyes) ever be recovered by the individual country, then this debate would already have been held. To claim now is the wrong time is just to attempt to delay the debate yet again, the fear of learning the truth from the people of the UK is what drives Cameron and Hague to prevent the Referendum on the EU that all 3 parties have at times said they would hold but have never allowed to happen.
2. The people are only asking for their democratic right to hold a debate and vote on an issue that pervades every facet of life in the UK, usually to our detriment. To claim that the EU is good for trade and security is overstating the case on both matters. Trade with the EU is done at a loss and only non-EU trade is profitable to this country and NATO and the fact that nuclear weapons are now available are more to thank than the EU for our security from war. As for security of our borders, the EU regulations are a joke.
Is he in touch with his constituents, or is he living on a different planet?
Let’s not jump the gun on the debate being brought forward. The reason is clear the Meeting of ministers to debate increasing the bail out fund was supposed to take place on Monday. Now Sorkosky wants the European bank in Frankfurt to support the bail out proposals, which meant the European Central Bank agreeing to meet any shortfall but Merkel refuses, she had a difficult time getting her coalition to agree to increase the bail out anyway asking the bank to back it would have been a step too far.
The result is the Ministers meeting has been put back to either Wednesday or Thursday which would mean neither Cameron or Osborne would not have been in parliament to hear the debate. It could have been cancelled for a later date but was brought forward to Monday.
There is no attempt to stifle the debate even though Cameron has called for a three line whipp which means every conservative MP regardless of their views or those of their constituents will have to vote with the government. So it matters not what is said the result is already known. That is NOT democracy as I know it more like a dictatorship.
Writing another letter to your MP is going to do nothing to change the situation. .
Finally some MP,s are hearing the serious discontent within the populace. In the mean time whilst you dither £50m a day is flushing straight down the drain instead of helping our own people.
What an arrogant twerp!
The only thing “naive and simplistic” is Harringtons response to the British peoples request. He complains that we can’t afford to spend “vast amounts of money” on a referendum about the EU , yet they have already spent “vast amounts of money” on a referendum on AV that NOBODY wanted .
I find people like Mr Harrington so arrogant to assume that they know better than we do . This is supposed to be a DEMOCRACY , “Government BY the people FOR the people ” A Referendum On the EU is what we want and we shall Bloody well have it !.
Typically arrogant rant by a polition compeletly out of step with the people who pay his wages,not once in the article does he feel the need to refer to the wishes of the nuisance that is the voting public.Until the government accepts that it is their job to run the country not rule it I cannot see things changeing
Both the Tory/ LibDem Government and Labour Party all have their noses in the EU trough and they dont want to spoil their golden retirement eggs and cushy EU commissioners jobs for sucking up to the European Parliament. Give the people of this country what you promised in your manifesto a referendum on EU membership and give the young people of this country the chance to get a job and build themselves a future instead of giving jobs to economic migrants from Eastern Europe and committing our young people to a wasted life on benefits. Keep your promises Cameron or be a one term wonder……..
I have no doubt that we will be stitched up by our elected representative’s this coming Monday, no matter what we say or do.
Did no one, apart from me, notice that at the last election there seemed to be an unwritten agreement, a conspiracy between the three major parties not to discuss the EU and to, if it were mentioned, gloss over and move onto something else. They know full well this is the most important question facing the British people, more important that the present financial crisis which will end come what may and which serves to deflect us from focusing on their treachery.
Our future as a nation state, not an outpost of some super state or a business partner of large faceless corporations is what we are fighting to protect. Our future, our children and children’s future free to decide our own destiny not have it decided by unelected bureaucrats who we despise.
The temperature is rising in this country, the peace loving tolerant law abiding majority who only rise in the most extreme of circumstances and then only for what they know is right are beginning to stir and grow impatient with those we put our trust in. They need to listen and act before they face the consequences of their misguided inaction.
Hey, Harrington, we are not stupid, so don’t insult our intelligence. What you mean by your mealy-mouthed talk of reforming the Eu is actually that you want to fool the public into allowing you to continue to pig their money. As the truth spreads and fury mounts you will increasingly understand that your credibilty is non-existent and its time for people like you to retire while you still have a backside.
Its “always the wrong question” or at the “wrong time” for MPs who don’t want to make a decsion, but what about the people in this?
Its not that we necessarily want the UK to be out of Europe but we certainly want Europe out on the UK and the fact of the matter is that the only way of achieving this is an in/out referendum.
Are we to manage the slow decline of the UK by being strangled bu EU Rules and Regulations or can we cast off the burden and get to competing on the worldwide stage again.
Richard Harrington either doesn’t understand the meaning of the phrase “kneejerk reaction”, lives in a vacuum away from public opinion and what is happening in the real world, or is looking after Number 1. You decide.
You are naive if you think that the people will ever vote for you or your government ever again, now you have shown how much disrespect you have for the British voter.
It is both aparent and clear that we only have approximately 111 DEMOCRATIC MP’s in Parliament. So why in heaven have, we 650 lazy louts, shouting like overgrown School boys. And that other lout Loughlan, the Ch Whip, a typical obscene, foul mouthed ex.shop steward, one of Camerons protection squad. He should feel proud. This is what we have in Parliament, making laws for us mere mortals to follow. I think it’s an utter disgrace. There is only one time to dicuss getting out of the EU, and that is NOW. What are you waiting for Cameron, maybe , when the EU have reduced this country to a slag heap and dumping ground for all the dregs of this world, to keep in our welfare state, to gether with all their dependents.
I copied and pasted a section of a comment made by ‘ mhayworth’
‘At the rate of increased immigration under the Tories and the birth rates of Labours’ imported benefit dependants, we will no longer have a majority of people who even identify themselves with this country in another few years’ .
Will this be the right time for this referendum, and is this what you have been working for, come clean Cameron, I’ve lost all respect and time for you, as far as I’m concerned, you’ve done enough damage, GO.
Round one to the Eurofascists. It was Cameron and Clegg who put together this petition process in order to bring democracy back to the people. Then all three party leaders threatened MPs to force them to vote against it – making it very clear that we have something to be afraid of in our relationship with the EU. So this is democracy in action. Threatening MPs in the same way the EU threatened every country who voted against the Lisbon Treaty until they voted Yes.
Clegg even had his pre-election EU In/Out Referendum webpage removed on Friday evening once we had found it and started signing it. Hague took a further step in insulting us by calling the petition nothing more than a line of graffiti that would be quickly forgotten. Well we won’t forgot you Mr. Hague. Democracy is now dead in this country. There are no more illusions.
There are clearly only 111 honourable MPs left in parliament and the rest we can now treat as the official enemies of the state. Lets hope none of them dare to show their faces at Remembrance Day events.
I never ever thought i would wake up in a dictatorship, until this morning that is, now i know we i know what the people of Libya felt like.
I only have one thing to say to all of those who voted against the wishes of the people.
YOU ARE ALL TRAITORS AND SHYSTERS.
I will never vote tory or for any of the other parties again!
Beware those Tories quoting a Guardian ICM poll where only 49% wanted out of Europe. Just read the actual poll on the ICM website and there was a second question asked about how many wanted a referendum and the number was 70%. The Lib/Lab/Con smoke and mirror campaign is getting ridiculous.
http://www.icmresearch.com/october-poll-for-the-guardian
With due respect to cameron and Hague and all the other Europhiles lurking in the P[alace of Westminster. We do not need you to concentrate on returning powers from Brussels to London.
I would be quite happy if you took the UK out from the clutches of the EU. I would like my country back, I don’t want unelected faceless wonders making laws for me. I appreciate that we are in a finacial melting pot, but that £45 million a day would be able to ease our lives a little.
Also, being democratic, I would accept losing a vote, providing that vote was conducted on a level playing field, but Cameron cunningly used a double headed coin to guarentee his success, hence the three line whip.
J.B. Pleaese, can we get this correct, vote again, we never voted to go in, in the first place, even parlaiment was nit consulted. Ted Heath jopined, we did not.
Harrington. Theres a name,.
no relation to the owners of a Pie and Eel shop, in Selkirk Road Tooting, Nah.
Thety were there all through the war, MPs would have disappeared at the first shot. Good Puie and Mash, six old opence. right belly buster.They wewer thedays, when the french had surrendered to an army one quarter of the size of tgheirs, we were on our ownm, save for our commonwealth allies, thatg our Tolries so ungraciously dumped, to grovel round the EU, I even serbed wit Black Aircrews.from Trinidad Jamaica, but, they were in the way of the EU, and our cringing politicians, so we dumped them, untill we wanted somneone to drive our buses. Yes, that is true.
Hey Kevin. Since now, Merkel has decreed a Trillion Euro bale out fund, no guesses as to who is going to have to pay increased subscriptioons. Our forelock tugging Federsl Prime Minister,will no doubt, go to Brussels, come back triuphant, that he has got the amount we pay, cut back by thrity bob.
Peter, vote them out, as soon as possible, replace them with ukip, they know the antics of Brussels. Have a triel run at the next council elections. Give ukip a boost, and create a mess in Camerons pants, one thing gets up his hooetr is ukip. He knows that hey know whats happening. His own MERPs keep it quiet, in case the gravy train is derailed. by the way. Those idiots, are dictating the direction that the coalition is going. To force the issue now requires strike action from tghe back benches, and some letters of resignation from the party, that might focus his mind, with the thought of several by elections now that the public realise what a liar he is, and how decietfull he can be.
EUCONDEMBOUR Please Gillian. Get the title right dear.
Bob Owens.Libya also has a lot of work that needs doing, and has indicated that Britain should be first in line to get the contracts, What odds are there in the EU stepping in, and taking all the work to germany, with our arse crawling politicians , with the Puie Shop owner harrington, in the lead, flat on his belly.tugging their forelocks with Yes sir, at once sir, three bags full sir.
Vote ukip at the coming council elections,and ruikn Camerons day.
Bob owens. I knew a Bob Owens years ago,served on H.M.S.Ajax, had his teeth blown out when a shell from the Graf Spey, struck the Ajax, in the battle of the River plate, at Montivideo.Q uite put out was Bob, good bloke though,
Vote ukip the, at the earliest opportubnity, iys nouse voting for the other three, its a Cartel.
They remember where the public subsidised restaurent, and wine bar is at the House of Commons, its just us they forget.
Since this letter, Merkel has actually mentioned war,needless to say, our thicko polioticians are deaf and blind, exactly as they were in 1939. Diffgerence is, tha this time we do not have 1914/18 battleshuips, and planes to defend our selves, only cash pocketing politicians willing to sell us out. Come election day though, and the same old line will be spoken, ” If you do not vote Tory, then Labour will get back in, and vice versa., and still stupid people will still vote for the party that they voted for, their fathers voted for, those at Derby, who lost their jobs, due to Brown signing over jobs to the Germans, will still vote Labour, Gaw3d elp us. We have got to break that mouild, once and for all.
So glad that someone else has brought up the Bill of rights, which in fact makes our being in Europe totally illegal. The Bill of rights can only be repealed with the pernmission of the people. This requires a referendum, but in England referendums are used solely as a bribe, by parties out of power. Both Cameron and Clegg, proclaimned that theyh would repeal it, when those MPs who were cheating with their expenses, used it to justify their theft. Repeal, they cannot do, without our consent, and we should all; bone up on that bill, and stand by it. At School I learned it by heart, witgh others, thoufgh after eighty years, its difficult top recall. Howver, the standing joke of the day, was ” Who signed the Magna Carta”, Answer from little Tommy, ” Pklease sir It wasnt me.” We shouldm all pester the life out of our MPs reminding them of this charter
So true, Will they ever learn
I have a feeling that events are spiralling out of Cameron’s – and his Bullingdon chums’ – control anyway.
During the last century, and the one before, first France, then Germany, tried to exert hegemony over the entire continent of Europe through force of arms. On all the occasions they tried this they failed, largely due to opposition from Great Britain. It now seems they are attempting a similar attempt to control Europe by pursuing a politico-economic strategy of brinkmanship such that they end up by controlling all of Europe by creating a financial crisis which will end up with them exerting control over all the other European countries’ politico-economic systems – without having to fire a single shot to get it.
The traditional UK foreign policy has always been to be neighbours of Europe without being part of it. This policy has served us well in the past and should do so again in the future. The reality of the current situation is that German economic strength will ensure that they end up becoming top dog in the European continent. France will end up becoming the junior partner in their endeavour, just like the Petain regime did during World War Two. We need to be able to stand alone yet again, as we did in 1940, in order to be able to co-ordinate our response to this emerging situation with other EU-free countries in Europe. We may, yet again, find ourselves having to work with the Russians to constrict German hegemony, as we once did before between 1942 and 1945. We – People’s Pledge and like-minded supporters – have demonstrated that we are not prepared to surrender our political and economic sovereignty to German hegemony so I believe that when the current euro crisis is used to bind together all of the central European powers, Cameron & Co will find it impossible to join up to a new EU under the control of Germany, thus we will be free of the “new” EU bloc at last. There will remain dangers for us but we have confronted such dangers in the past and emerged victorious. I think we will have to take on the role of holding aloft the banner of freedom for Europe yet again in the future.