Just received this press release from CCHQ...
David Cameron today fulfilled his pledge to withdraw the Conservative Party from the European People’s Party (EPP) Parliamentary Group and form a new group in the European Parliament. Today he will sign an agreement to form the new group with the Czech Prime Minister-designate and leader of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Mr Topolanek. At Mr Topolanek’s explicit request, the new group will be formed at the beginning of the next European Parliament in 2009. In addition, the Conservative Party and the ODS will immediately establish a new Movement for European Reform, which will campaign to tackle the challenges that Europe faces. Other political parties which share our objectives, and are dedicated to our ideals of a more open, modern, flexible and decentralised European Union, will be welcome to join the new movement.
I have no doubt that there will be howls of outrage at the fact the withdrawal is being delayed until 2009, but I would urge those who are thinking of making dramatic gestures to think very carefully before they do. The Conservative Party has been torn apart by the issue of Europe before. Let's not make that mistake again. In my view this is the most sensible, and indeed the only way forward.
40 comments:
This is a sensible, pragmatic move.
Conservatives should at heart be pragmatists and not ideologues.
Walking out of the EPP mid-Parliament would have been bad politics.
All in all a good move.
The word you are looking for is "fudge" as predicted by many. But, of course, who outside the Conservative Party really cares about the EPP?
I hope this will be a sufficient compromise to keep the 'philes and the 'sceptics on board. Right now unity is far more important than ideology in the European context.
Agreed a sensible move.
and any eurosceptic needs to think about why is DC the only Leader to actually do something about it?
good day to bury bad news?
that's what political betting claims . . . .
I understand the logic behind accusations of a good day to bury bad news, but there's only one flaw. Did David Cameron really have psychic (sp?!) powers when he invited the Czech leader over today? I think not.
Call me simple-minded but why couldn't he have fulfilled his pledge months ago and simply insisted the Tory MEPs sit as a separate block? This looks like a U Turn by instalments.....the first of many from a man whose motto is "Office at any Price".
Machiavelli: "Walking out of the EPP mid-Parliament would have been bad politics."
So why did Cameron promise to do exactly that?
So what are you guys going to say when you are campaigning, suppose somebody actually can be bothered to ask about your European policies? Well, um, we are sort of pulling out of the EPP but not just yet and it is a lovely compromise because it keeps everyone on side and guessing? And what if the Constitution is back on the agenda in 2008? The EPP is in favour of it, the Conservative Party, supposedly, against it. Fat lot of good the signed agreements will do you. Particularly when they are as meaningless as this one. A more flexible EU? And how are you going to achieve that? By what mechanism? Sheesh, this is a gift to UKIP.
I'm depressed, not only as a Eurosceptic. This was a big blunder by Cameron, who was cursed either way. It will lead to more trouble.
I agree that unity is important especially with the government imploding before our eyes. I just hope everyone agrees.
I'm depressed, not only as a Eurosceptic. This was a big blunder by Cameron, who was cursed either way. It will lead to more trouble.
I agree that unity is important especially with the government imploding before our eyes. I just hope everyone agrees.
I am amazed at the vitriol being espoused against DC over on ConservativeHome. One even suggested he may not even be the leader of the Party in three years time!
DC is the first Tory leader grasp the issue and do something substantive about it. He should be applauded for that. As the Euro manifesto at the last Euro elections pledged to stay in the EPP, it would be breaking a promise to the voters to leave now. It makes much more sense to leave in 2009, after the elections and with all selected MEP candidates committed to leaving the EPP.
People like David Heathcoat-Amory obviously do not give a toss about the Tory party being taken seriously again by the press and the public. He would be happy to divide the party and squander the poll leads for an issue the majority of people outside the Westminster Village have never heard of and don't really care.
Bit of a shame that William Hague was double booked this evening...he was due to speak at the "Built to Last" roadshow in Newcastle tonight. Had an email from CCHQ explaining that the announcement on the EPP was to be made today and that WH was being replaced by Chris Grayling and Peter Atkinson.
I don't feel so guilty for pulling out of attending due to lack of childcare now!
There don't seem to be many days which would not be suitable for burying bad news at the moment, so I don't buy that argument (in fact it has the smell of someone trying to stir up trouble).
I agree with machiavelli that this is a sensble move for now; it demonstrates the will to take the lead on eurorealism while taking into account the impossibility of putting together a viable group right now.
Looks like a reasonable position to adopt from my point of view. Now all we need to do is get more people to join.
The only policy that Cameron promised and he's wimped out on it. Any bets on whether he'll find another reason not to leave in 2009? Perhaps he'll be too busy in the run up to a general election campaign?
Helen's right - nobody really cares outside the Tory party.
Yes there will be bloody howls for delaying it until 2009. What a ridiculous notion. The party will lose seats because many decent Tories will be forced to vote UKIP now. Al because Dave made promises he couldn't keep. Some people have not learnt the lesson. Division only occurs over Europe when we are not definite. This will just prolong the issue and infighting. Useless, feeble and dishonest. The people who voted Dave as leader were deceived, and I hope they destroy his leadership now.
Yes there will be bloody howls for delaying it until 2009. What a ridiculous notion. The party will lose seats because many decent Tories will be forced to vote UKIP now. Al because Dave made promises he couldn't keep. Some people have not learnt the lesson. Division only occurs over Europe when we are not definite. This will just prolong the issue and infighting. Useless, feeble and dishonest. The people who voted Dave as leader were deceived, and I hope they destroy his leadership now.
UKIP and the rest are making the predicted noises, but this is the right decision. It means time to get more MEPs interested, and it should all be ready at the time of the next European election. I'm sure it will help Cameron and the Conservatives at the next General Election too.
Europe, I love it so much. Mainly because it is so so damaging to the Tories..
Im going to sit back and enjoy
"Sensible" ... "pragmatic" ... "let's not split the party again"... all the usual anodyne pleas from those seemingly determined that any political discussion is only meaningful if it sticks to the agenda of those with most to lose by widening it - and stuff the wider party or national electorate.
Does anyone doubt that the majority of Con. Party members want, at the very least, the over-wheening presumptions of the EU curbed? And that probably most of the politically-aware population think the same?
Naturally this must be stopped. Good heavens! People thinking for themselves? And worse - they may actually express an opinion contrary to our comfortable mindset. No, no, no, no, no.
Anything popular is by definition suspect. Delay, obfuscate, declare it verboten.
Tripe. Rubbish. This is *our* country, these are (or are supposed to be) *our* representatives, working in *our* interests, and it is *our* party (for those that remain - I resigned from it in January; looks like I beat the rush).
Too many subjects crying out, damn near begging, pleading for adult discussion are being placed off-limits. So why should anyone bother with this mealy-mouthed bunch at all?
You know, I'm coming to the conclusion that Dave and his chums like being in opposition, that they see it as a permanent, full-time and satisfying career. After all, you'll never be obliged to fulfill your promises.
Only problem is, what happens to a leader with almost no followers?
Why a new Movement for European Reform?
Isn't that what the '-ED' suffix upon EPP was about? Isn't that what Bill Cash's foundation is about? There is already the networking and groundwork done to work towards this. What need another think-tank?
Quite - the Euroskeptic wing of the party is becomming increasingly shrill. "Withdrawl" is a psephological disaster, so "Euro-realism" is the way ahead for any party with a pretence at governing.
Hrm, while its good they are leaving 2009 surely going through a Euro-election before it happens is not necessarily a good idea? It will be interesting to see if this will keep people on board and not have them giving their votes to UKIP.
This is not bad news. I was fearing much worse.
This is, as machiavelli rightly says, a sensible, pragmatic move.
It is three years ahead. Plenty of time to talk with like minded countries ready to start a dynamic new group. I do suspect that many will join it.
What DC should do is appoint a three person team from his party One Sceptic, One Eurofile and a middle of the road to assist William Haigh in the structure and vision for this new group.
Bill Cash. Ken Clarke.
Ann Widdecombe come to mind.
This will go down well out here in the real world. DC's statement tells it how it is.
Iain..keep it up please.
DC also met Topolanek at the end of June in Prague. Topolanek must have a lot else on his mind after the recent Czech elections ended in a dead heat - 100 v 100!!!
ODS in Czech and SKDU in Slovakia are bedfellows. Therefore SKDU are likely to join such a grouping. SKDU have succeeded in pushing some incredible right-wing reforms through in Slovakia since 1997 (e.g. pension capitalisation pillar, labour law reforms and flat rate tax) with a wafer-thin coalition majority. A tie up with ODS and SKDU is very good news for Tories.
And don't let anyone characterise these partners as right wing nutters/homophobes/racists etc. That is just mud-slinging.
One concrete pledge. One u turn delivered.
Dave the estate agent has no substance.
Well, it answers the question about where DCs vision of Europe lies, and this is clearly not in the federalist camp - which sends a message to the Europhiles in the party. In this respect we should be grateful, although one can only hope that this new grouping grows in influence. Hopefully it will also steal some of the UKIPs electoral thunder. However, Pragmatism is a fine principle, but there will come a time when the UK will have to decide 'in' or 'out'. Europe is going federal whether we like it or not.
Come, come. This wreaks of a Blairesque 'back of an envelope' 'eye-catching initiative' that Cameron thought sounded good for mopping up the Europhobe vote but which was poorly thought through.
Only political anoraks care about this one way or the other. I daresay the usual suspects on ConservativeHome will be griping, but they should avoid assisting the party's enemies.
To late the mistake has been made, and through his own duplicity. He promised to pull out of the EPP by Christmas 2005.
Words of Mass Deception
.
No it should have been done NOW and the acrimony will be over in a few months at the most.
By postponing this you leave the party open to resume its fracturous division over the issue.
No-one cares about Europe, but they do dislike the main Opposition tearing itself apart over the issue
of course after another Tory defeat there could be yet anothe Tory leader and he can start all over again.The real reason he cant pull them out the EPP now is half the Tory group would refuse to go and he would look silly
Bet Cameron never uses the 'all promises no delivery' line at PMQ's again.
Am I the only one even slightly amused that everyone making a big fuss about Cameron "not keeping his pledge" (and without the text of the pledge I don't see how he's broken it) and "betrayal of the party members" (was anyone really so silly as to base their choice of leader on such an obscure issue?) seem to have nothing to say about the fact that the 2004 manifesto included a pledge to sit in the EPP-ED group.
Or are we seeing egotists who think pledges to party members matter more than pledges to the public? In any case neither pledge has been broken.
Seems a perfectly sensible way forward. Only headbangers on either side could object to it. Europhiles can't reasonably object to the commitment to withdrawal by a given date, it was a commitment of David Cameron's. Eurosceptics/phobes can't reasonably object to the timing of the withdrawal, common sense tells you that you want to time these things to maximum advantage.
There really are some silly comments on here from people who should know better.
This is a sensible fudge from Cameron on an issue that hasnt crossed the public's radar. If a few headbangers get all steamed up then so be it. "Better off out" could also apply to those who would rather tear the party apart than see DC lead it to defeat this discredited government.
Now let's get on with something important.
What shall it profit a manchild to inherit No. 10 and then discover there's bugger all he can do about anything.
Without sovereignty.........we may as well all lie back and think of .......England?
That's the spirit Dave. As I like to say, "Peace in our time"
Beautifully done considering the position he's in, but it does leave one wondering about his backbone.
On to a substantive issue for a real test.
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