ConservativeHome has an interview with Liam Fox. The questions came from ConservativeHome readers, and there was one in particualr which caught my eye
Andrew Woodman: Do you believe the withdrawing of the Conservative whip in the European parliament from Roger Helmer was unfair and unjust, and was there any more you could have done as Shadow Foreign Secretary to stop and reverse the decision?
Liam Fox: The question of the Whip in the European Parliament is not a matter for the Party in Westminster.
What a cop-out. I'd have expected better from Dr Fox. Surely by that logic, our membership or not of the EPP is also not a matter for the Party in Westminster? Let's at least have a bit of consistency.
9 comments:
Anyone who hasn't should join the Roger Helmer campaign: http://www.reinstateroger.com/
That reminds me - when is Cameron going to fulfil his pledge to get us out of the EPP - surely then the Roger Helmer question becomes moribund?
when is Cameron going to fulfil his pledge to get us out of the EPP
From what I've seen on CH and other blogs it's going to be June and then it will be the disloyal like of Dr Caroline Jackson who have to decide if they are Conservatives or not (I'll make it easy for her - she isn't a Conservative or a conservative)
Cameron is doing a good job re-branding the tory party. Its now socially acceptable to admit to being a tory. His mangement doesn't matter when it comes to winning GE's. TB has always been a very weak manager, and yet is (still) attractive, and can think on his feet. That's what wins elections, not capability.
How good is DC's management? Actually, poor. Has he put the tories in a new European group, replacing the EPP? Not yet. Has he made any committments on the one issue which is 'free' for him: the treatment of disabled children? Not that I've seen. The parents of a seriously handicapped child are some of the most disadvantaged in society. This govt is trying to close ALL special schools through the 20/20 group. Where is DC?
None of this matters, as its not what wins or loses GEs. Sad, though, that competence is so lowly rated, with image so highly regarded.
david kendrick: "None of this matters.."
The treatment of Roger Helmer matters; as does CCHQ dodging the issue. Frankly I expected better of Liam Fox.
It's the subject of my first blogging post
Here
Thought I'd give it a go - blogging that is :-))
David Kendrick:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5005066.stm
...and the issue is certainly not "free" for him - it is one that needs to be handled with great care.
Just wait - as soon as the issue is tackled, Cameron-knockers will be out in droves to pronounce how cynical and terible it is that he should make political capital with his son.
Incidentally, DC used to write a column in the Grauniad. I don't know what happened to this particular amendment, nor indeed what the fate of baby bonds has been (sadly, it's not something I've been able to take advantage of), but this particular entry circa 2004 has stuck in my mind for a long time.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/columnist/story/0,,1126342,00.html
A very disappointing dodge by Dr Fox I'm afraid.
'None of this matters' is true as far as winning a GE is concerned. Of course it matters in itself.
As far as treatment of those with a child with cerebral palsy is concerned, maybe I should have declared an interest. We are where DC and madam Cameron will be in 10 years time, if their son survives. The system gives us a cruel time. Many fellow parents were thrilled when DC won the leadership. 'Now we will be taken seriously' was the view.
If he cannot take a position on handicapped children as it may be deemed that he is 'using' his son, we have all gone mad. We can NEVER use our own experiences? Of course he knows more than most about cerebral palsy. Let him help us, even if he is 'accused' of using his son.
Dr Fox is in a slightly awkward position as it was he who made all candidates in the 2004 Euroepan elections sign a commitment to join the EPP-ED Group
Post a Comment