Rodney Atkinson
25th January 2013
Cameron repeatedly gave the reasons why the UK should stay within the constitutional structures of the European Union,thus negating any bargaining power he might have had.
Repeated reference to “democratic nations” ignored the Heads of State of Italy and Greece, never elected but imposed by the EU Commission and the ECB, both unelected.
Worst of all Cameron offered no alternative vision for a Free Europe of democratic sovereign nations in which Greece would feel protected, in which Eastern Europeans could feel free from Russian threat and EEA countries like Norway and Switzerland could be free from EU bullying and intimidation.
At a time of the greatest peacetime crisis in Europe he offers only an undeliverable promise on a vague manifesto in 5 years time. Like the Euro-fanatics in Berlin and Paris Edward Heath’s Tory Party “set his points” long ago and the Cameron train will hit the buffers.
David Cameron’s speech on the future of Britain in the European Union changed nothing. Of course he had to admit that those he has called “nutters” were right after all and Britain in the present European Union is unacceptable. The only choice after Cameron’s renegotiation will be between a completely new relationship and leaving altogether.
So having supported the ERM Cameron had to admit it was a disaster and having promoted the EU he has had to admit it is a disaster. Having himself voted not long ago against an In/Out referendum he now proposes just that. Having lied about a previous “cast iron promise” of a referendum he now asks us to believe him this time – only of course IF he wins the election outright and IF he still leads the Tory Party and IF he can pass the referendum legislation, there might be a referendum in 2018. But not only do we not know what his requirements are we don’t know on what principles he will be negotiating – a Europe of nations, federalism, sovereignty, democracy or just business profits? And even then A REFERENDUM DECIDES NOTHING. He must have a majority in parliament to hold a referendum and to implement the result – and he has proved himself incapable of delivering such a majority.
Having promoted membership of the EU, which included an “irrevocable and irreversible” commitment he has had to admit it is a disaster and that joining is neither “irrevocable” nor “irreversible” as he is proposing a vote which could result in our leaving. But he now claims that leaving will be ‘irrevocable’ and asks us to believe him!
Of course Cameron’s procrastinating strategy is only possible if:
1. The Conservatives win an election outright, (which they have never achieved since signing the Maastricht Treaty in 1992)
2. Cameron remains the leader of that party (and not replaced by a europhile)
3. He has a majority in parliament to pass the Referendum Bill (and he cannot depend on the votes of Europhiles like Kenneth Clarke).
Having deliberately attacked true Conservatives before the last election and deliberately promoted Nick Clegg in the TV debates he deliberately engineered a minority Conservative government which is powerless to do what he NOW proposes as the only solution. He cannot pass a referendum Bill in this Parliament – which is why he hopes it will be in the next parliament!
Repeatedly in his speech Cameron gave those with whom he will be negotiating every reason to believe he will settle for very little in the way of change. He repeatedly gave the reasons why the UK should stay within the constitutional structures of the European Union, thus negating any bargaining power he might have had.
He claimed that in the years since the second world war “peace” had been brought to Europe, even suggesting peace had been brought to the Balkans!! No mention of the weeks of bombing of civilians and TV stations by EU air-forces, the break up of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, the million or more refugees, the tens of thousands of deaths in Kosovo, Croatia, the Krajina and Bosnia, the destruction of hundreds of Christian churches in Kosovo and the ethnic cleansing of Jews, Serbs and gypsies from that part of Yugoslavia as the terrorist KLA was armed by Germans. No talk of the resurgence of fascism in Croatia (illegally recognised by Germany in 1991) and the rise of Jihadists in Bosnia, all caused by the encouragement of Germany in its successful attempt to return to the Nazi map of 1941 to 1945. (Even today Germany is promoting German speaking Czechs to reverse the post war settlement and allow Germans to reclaim their Czech territory).
No talk in Cameron’s “peaceful Europe” of the economic and financial destruction of Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain (with Italy and France about to follow). 25m unemployed, up to 55% youth unemployment, social breakdown, the collapse of health and welfare services, and mass migration of skilled workers from Spain and Greece to unskilled jobs in Germany (so reminiscent of the war time marshalling of forced labour from neighbouring countries by Nazi Germany.)Repeated reference to democratic nations ignored the Heads of State of Italy and Greece, never elected but imposed by the EU Commission, itself unelected.
The only objective of this speech was to shoot UKIP’s fox. He needed to give Conservative candidates a chance on the doorstep and that he might achieve. If so they will be elected on a false promise, because they will be powerless to deliver it. And as soon as Labour is forced to match the referendum commitment, bang goes the electoral advantage.
Worst of all Cameron offered no alternative vision for a Free Europe of democratic sovereign nations in which Greece would feel protected, in which Eastern Europeans could feel free from Russian threat and EEA countries like Norway and Switzerland could be free from EU bullying and intimidation. Indeed Cameron even poured scorn on Norway and Switzerland for suffering “government by fax”. This is not true but Cameron could have offered them a much better and more powerful future outside German Europe within a Free Europe able, with the wholehearted support of the British people, to bargain an infinitely better deal with what remains of the EU!
Cameron lacks history, intellect and magnanimity. He sees no big picture only gestures. He sees no wider horizons than tomorrows PR, party tactics at the next election and the opportunism and transient profits of big business. Holding this speech at a corporate headquarters, not in a historic hall of democratic government, says it all.
Cameron has achieved nothing. At a time of the greatest peacetime crisis in Europe he has exchanged action now for an undeliverable promise on a vague manifesto in 5 years time. Like the Eurofanatics in Berlin and Paris Edward Heath’s Tory Party “set his points” long ago and his train cannot be stopped from hitting the buffers.
