David Cameron is reported to be "delighted" at the result of the Irish referendum.
In which case, he has now added Sinn Fein to the list of rather unsavoury European parties that the Conservatives are prepared to form expedient alliances with. SF joins Putin's United Russia (already allied with the Tories in the Council of Europe) and the Italian Fascist Party (potential allies in the European Parliament, after the Conservatives leave the EPP) in the Blue corner.
The problem, it seems to me, is that the Conservative party remains very unclear about what it wants from the European Union. It makes angry denunciations of the organisation, addressing its many shortcomings in almost apocalyptic language, but when you ask Conservatives whether they actually want to leave the EU, they usually pause and then say "No".
In that sense, the scorn that UKIP and others on the right pour on the Tories is justified- the only logical stance that one can take if you agree with the Tory analysis is to withdraw from the EU, and yet the Conservatives refuse to put forward withdrawal as their preferred policy. So the question remains open. What vision do the Conservatives have for Europe?
The Liberal Democrat vision is one that accepts the need for a pooling of sovereignty in certain areas, but which wishes to set limits to the areas of competence that the EU holds and at the same time to increase democratic control and accountability at all levels of government. In that sense we welcomed the Lisbon treaty, because it does actually do a lot of these things.
Presumably the Conservatives agree that the European union needs some substantial reform and some drastic pruning in many areas. So since they oppose the Lisbon treaty, then can we please hear from them about what they would actually propose in office and how they intend to persuade the other 26, soon to be 27, member states to back this point of view. The suspicion remains that Cameron can not do more than be "anti" because he can not unite his party around any agenda that recognises the EU as a fact of life. There is no positive agenda, and there can not be because of the Conservatives' own internal divisions.
Yet, unless Cameron can show leadership and speak out in favour of a positive agenda for the EU, the suspicion remains that he is still in thrall to the "Better Off Out" crowd, and that the Tories' expedient and unworthy alliances with Europe's least appealing parties will continue.
This is pretty immature politics- and could be very dangerous.
In which case, he has now added Sinn Fein to the list of rather unsavoury European parties that the Conservatives are prepared to form expedient alliances with. SF joins Putin's United Russia (already allied with the Tories in the Council of Europe) and the Italian Fascist Party (potential allies in the European Parliament, after the Conservatives leave the EPP) in the Blue corner.
The problem, it seems to me, is that the Conservative party remains very unclear about what it wants from the European Union. It makes angry denunciations of the organisation, addressing its many shortcomings in almost apocalyptic language, but when you ask Conservatives whether they actually want to leave the EU, they usually pause and then say "No".
In that sense, the scorn that UKIP and others on the right pour on the Tories is justified- the only logical stance that one can take if you agree with the Tory analysis is to withdraw from the EU, and yet the Conservatives refuse to put forward withdrawal as their preferred policy. So the question remains open. What vision do the Conservatives have for Europe?
The Liberal Democrat vision is one that accepts the need for a pooling of sovereignty in certain areas, but which wishes to set limits to the areas of competence that the EU holds and at the same time to increase democratic control and accountability at all levels of government. In that sense we welcomed the Lisbon treaty, because it does actually do a lot of these things.
Presumably the Conservatives agree that the European union needs some substantial reform and some drastic pruning in many areas. So since they oppose the Lisbon treaty, then can we please hear from them about what they would actually propose in office and how they intend to persuade the other 26, soon to be 27, member states to back this point of view. The suspicion remains that Cameron can not do more than be "anti" because he can not unite his party around any agenda that recognises the EU as a fact of life. There is no positive agenda, and there can not be because of the Conservatives' own internal divisions.
Yet, unless Cameron can show leadership and speak out in favour of a positive agenda for the EU, the suspicion remains that he is still in thrall to the "Better Off Out" crowd, and that the Tories' expedient and unworthy alliances with Europe's least appealing parties will continue.
This is pretty immature politics- and could be very dangerous.
Comments
In which case, he has now added Sinn Fein etc.
Given that the Conservative Party does not ,broadly speaking , accept that foreign people have any right to have any say in our affairs at all , it is highly misleading to say these are allies . They are coincidences stemming from the irreconcilable differences between the European nations and their politics and not of our choosing . The fact that Sinn Fein have a place governing this country is your doing . Nice work . A vast majority of this country want no more than trading and ad hoc cooperation perhaps you would tar them all as faintly sympathetic with Sinn Fein , an organization the left and Liberals were noticeably supportive of by the way . They will be pleased
when you ask Conservatives whether they actually want to leave the EU, they usually pause and then say "No".
Just because you cannot decide between toast and a boiled egg does not mean you might just as well opt for cutting your own head off. We are in line with popular support on this which wants to continue to cooperate and trade but be rule by foreign states. Your opinion of what may or may not be immature is of less interest than gnats piss to me .Your ability to sit by and watch while the Liberal Party lie about the Constitution openly conspiring to defraud them of their birthright as free men and women of Britain is of somewhat more interest .( If that’s not too apocalyptic )
You do not believe in reforming the EU your believe in, deeper and deeper union and you have demonstrated that by the contempt with which you treat voters and their wishes as well as the depths you have sunk to in seeking to perpetuate this dictatorship of the left leaning Euro Establishment over Britain. Words and deeds , as usual you confuse them.
What you cannot accept that your old vision of a vast bureaucratic block imposed from above on diverse self governing people’s is out of date . I know you see your self as part of an anti American world player waffling on about the environment and waiving your hankies at China but I can live without it for reasons I will not go into here .
The Conservative party has an interesting and complex relationship with the EU and the effort will be to disentangle us from this pointless folly gradually retaining trade and distinct areas of cooperation. That is what the people of this country want .If you say that we can do as we are told or get out then more and more of us are beginning to think we will have to . What is quite quite clear is that there will never be any reform unless you are prepared to resist seriously when the opportunity arises as the Liberals have not and you are in the last resort prepared to leave.
Make your case in the open if your seriously think you have one .Even now Euro beetles are plotting to enact Lisbon by legal subterfuge to be quietly stamped when the next one joins . You live in darkness sustained by your precious belief in what is at heart a ruling class of people .....(surprise surprise) like you.