There is a brand new organisation in the Westminster village – something that has long been overdue – a ballsy, cutting edge campaign company that has brought the left, the right and the centre together under one ready-for-action Eurosceptic umbrella. For far too long, the Eurosceptic movement has been too splintered and consequently not as effective as it could have been.
The EU Referendum Campaign (I suspect you’re going to hear that name a lot) are determined to get a referendum for people to have their say on our relationship with the European Union.
Of course, we have seen numerous (worthy) ‘Let’s get out of Europe’ campaigns and projects come and go but there can surely be little doubt that this one is here to stay until the EU Referendum issue has been resolved.
This new organisation appears well resourced, has a bunch of very experienced campaigners and an advisory council of some of the biggest names in the business.
I shall be watching them carefully.
The EU Referendum Campaign (I suspect you’re going to hear that name a lot) are determined to get a referendum for people to have their say on our relationship with the European Union.
Of course, we have seen numerous (worthy) ‘Let’s get out of Europe’ campaigns and projects come and go but there can surely be little doubt that this one is here to stay until the EU Referendum issue has been resolved.
This new organisation appears well resourced, has a bunch of very experienced campaigners and an advisory council of some of the biggest names in the business.
I shall be watching them carefully.
31 comments:
Are you moving into PR now?
What about the Bruges group and TFA's Better Off Out? Then again its always good to have another Eurosceptic group to increase pressure on these things.
Been following this on Facebook for a while. About time.
What do Hugh Gaitskell, Tony Benn, Lord Tebbit, Michael Foot and David Davis all have in common?
In other news, David Cameron is a "proud" member of the euro-skeptic wing of the Conservative Party.
No. Really.
Shouldn't the entire Liberal Democrat party be signed up to this? ;-)
What "EU Referendum Issue" is that? We had one in 1975 with a clear result. Why do we need another one? This is a matter for Parliament as the sovereign body for the UK.
About time, lots of talk from Dave about an EU referendum when he was in opposition, little action on the EU since the coalition.
At last.
Well, good luck to them, but I'll perform unspeakable acts with an inflatable doll in Harrods' window if we see a referendum on EU membership thanks to their efforts.
I have visited the site, but I am a little concerned at the level of personal information they ask for. I have no problem giving it so long as I have a good idea whom it is to be shared with. However, there seems to be no details of this.
Furthermore, I tried to use their form to contact them - which appears not to be possible at present as the 'send' key seems to be missing from the email form.
This looks like a campaign which finally seems to represent a view that I have held for a very long time, and which has left me largely alienated from the Conservative party which I long thought should represent me. I will try again later to obtain information regarding the use of personal information, and hope to become actively involved.
"a ballsy, cutting edge campaign company" Their email address is eurefcam@gmail.com - hardly cutting edge, not being able to configure email addresses on domains
*sigh*
Are these people who believe in direct democracy generally, or 'lets make an exception because we think we'll win' types?
Press Release much?
A cross-party effort which stops the EU becoming a party political battleground that no party wants.
This is the real issue of British politics, not AV. How will Clegg play this, and what about the Milibands?
I guess Ed would be favourable, and Dave against. Let's see.
Can't wait to hear more!With proper publicity I can see this gaining a lot of support.
This is a waste of time for lets face it the UK Political Establishment will never allow the people of the UK the right to vote in a referendum on staying in the EU.
you state "The EU Referendum issue" as if it's obviously, well, an issue.
Apart from right wing loopies, who is it actually an issue for?
Might the average member of the public have things a teency bit more important to worry about?
They do indeed sound interesting and I for one will watch them closely, with a great deal of interest.I hope they are well funded and organised, they will need to be, as they are sadly up against the most rabidly pro euro PM since Heath....
I would love to see this campaign get off the ground and will give it some blog space.
The big names are impressive but it has a deja vu feel - Chief Exec was campaign director of UKIP, the Dir. of Comms is a friend of Farrage and the Campaign Dir. did the same job at Democracy Movement.
The concept of a cross party framework is interesting but they have a big job on to defeat public apathy, a europhile LibLabCon and a hostile media acting for big business which sees mass immigration as great for the bottom line.
Good can't wait.
The end result of this discussion, with full media participation, will be that the EU is dogged by bureaucratic stagnation and suffers from inefficiency; just like any other organisation.
It will also point out that it has done absolutely phenomenal good for the UK, and that we are better in it than outside.
Dissenting views are welcome once the campaign starts, I think it will be refreshing to see some actual facts on the benefits vs the detriments of our membership.
Their address at 95 Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1BZ is just a general address for PO BOX numbers.
As they don't seem to advertise who they actually are I'll give them a wide berth before I let the know who I am.
@Blackacre: What "EU Referendum Issue" is that? We had one in 1975 with a clear result.
Actually old bean, we didn't. It was "sold" to us as a referendum on the EEC - "European Economic Community", essentially a European free-trade area, nothing more.
I voted "yes". Had I known that our political "elite" had plans for it to morph inexorably into a European political superstate I would have voted "no" - as, I suspect, would a lot of other "yes" voters.
Blackacre,
I am with Pogo on this one. I most certainly did not vote for what we have now. I voted for free trade with Europe not a European state. The sooner a referendum comes on leaving the EU but maintaining free trade the better; most of the people I talk to seem to feel the same way.
Daedalus
Iain - same problems as Tony E above. You might want to take your post down until they're fixed.
Do you agree with this, Ian (I do)?
If so, why have you been voting Conservative?
How much do we pay into the EU each year?
Is there a figure somewhere in the accounts somebody could put me to?
I have heard it is somewhere in the region of 15billion?
Sorry to ask. I am ignorant Midlander.
@blackacre:
Because we were lied to as to what we were voting for!
Anyway, that was thirty five years ago, now is now and the situation has changed greatly.
@Chris Underwood:
At the last count, I think it was about 65% of the population
Tony E - I've just gone on their site and it does have a send key (maybe your computer). Scary Mary, their email accounts are eurefcam.com not gmail (try info@eurefcam.com or james@eurefcam.com). Their address is in Vauxhall Bridge Road, the Wilton rd address is for post. Their telephone number is 0207 630 6778 - it is on the website. i met James some time ago - yes, he is former UKIP campaign Director but was also Head of Presentation for the Referendum Party and Tory central office
Mikey P, Daedalus and Pogo, perhaps you all ought to have read the treaty.
Is that 'bought' or 'brought'?
Because one has serious implications of corruption!
Very good to press for a refrendum. But why don't all the organisers simply join UKIP. That way a more concerted effort could be made. People who do not support EU membership seem always to be in fragmented groups. A more concerted effort would have more impact.
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