Oh dear, poor David Cameron can't catch a break when it comes to all things EU-related.
First he wins one measly extra MEP at the Euro Elections despite a storming lead in the UK polls then he is singled out for criticism by the current holder of the EU Presidency, Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt, for being too Eurosceptic and now Cameron's lurch to the right has led to the new group that the Tory's are a part of being led by a controversial right-wing Pole.
This result was partly caused by the Conservative's own nominee, Timothy Kirkhope, being unable to stand for the leadership position as a 'rebel', Edward McMcMillan Scott, won the deputy leadership role. Talk about failing to plan equating to planning to fail!
Mr McMillan Scott has clearly done Cameron over. His protests at leaving the more mainstream European People's Party went unheeded so he took decisive action. And then some.
One of the cracks in the Tory party that Cameron had successfully papered over was the divisive issue of Europe and how integrated should they allow the UK to become.
Maintaining party discipline and ensuring there is no return to the infighting, particularly with the more pro-EU Ken Clarke in such a high profile position, may be tricky to ensure and this could be Cameron's trickiest test in a couple of years.
First he wins one measly extra MEP at the Euro Elections despite a storming lead in the UK polls then he is singled out for criticism by the current holder of the EU Presidency, Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt, for being too Eurosceptic and now Cameron's lurch to the right has led to the new group that the Tory's are a part of being led by a controversial right-wing Pole.
This result was partly caused by the Conservative's own nominee, Timothy Kirkhope, being unable to stand for the leadership position as a 'rebel', Edward McMcMillan Scott, won the deputy leadership role. Talk about failing to plan equating to planning to fail!
Mr McMillan Scott has clearly done Cameron over. His protests at leaving the more mainstream European People's Party went unheeded so he took decisive action. And then some.
One of the cracks in the Tory party that Cameron had successfully papered over was the divisive issue of Europe and how integrated should they allow the UK to become.
Maintaining party discipline and ensuring there is no return to the infighting, particularly with the more pro-EU Ken Clarke in such a high profile position, may be tricky to ensure and this could be Cameron's trickiest test in a couple of years.
Maybe Cameron and his Tory party pointing right on all things EU over the past couple of years has not been a sensible move after all.
18 comments:
The line that the Tories have somehow got into bed with some nasties doesn't really strike me as a winner.
I mean, the SNP are in a European party alongside New Flemish Alliance. The leader of NVA has not only been photographed alongside Le Pen, but has also made negationist statements, supportative of the officials who sent Jews to concentration camps during the second world war.
And what is bad about being singled out by the EU President for being too Eurosceptic?
If only the SNP supported independence from these bureaucratic parasites.
I don't know, you are judged by the company you keep.
And maybe every party could be linked in some tenuous manner to a political nasty but Tories are in greater danger of being seen in a damaging light most of all. Perception is everything.
Start explaining New Flemish Alliances and people switch off. Say Cameron's being led by an anti-gay party in EU and it sticks.
Or I think it will at least, not that I'm saying it's wrong or tight that it should, just the way it is.
Further to this, the current leader of the Green/European Free Alliance group is a paedophile:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jan/28/kateconnolly.theobserver
I don't think such a policy would go down too well Neil.
I reckon support for the EU in Scotland is well clear of 50%.
Jeff:
What if I said Alex Salmond's best friends are Nazi-sympathisers and he was being led by a paedophile?
"Or I think it will at least, not that I'm saying it's wrong or tight that it should, just the way it is."
By posting this on your blog, not only are you showing that you think it's right, but that you want to perpetuate it.
In addition, all the previous anons and myself are the same, fyi.
Anon, i think there is a subtle difference. I'm focussing on what I think will prove to be a Tory tactical error in joining this party and risking opening up old wounds. That doesn't necessarily mean I think it's 'right' that people should think less of Cameron as a leader for getting into this mess, I just expect most people will think that way. And you say 'perpetuate it', I'm just looking at whether Cameron's exposed himself given this situation which is again a subtle difference. Anyway, what do I care if I think it's right, the BBC are doing a solid enough job of perpetuation with or without my help!
"Anyway, what do I care if I think it's right"
Because this blog is an extension of yourself. What you write here shapes people's impressions of you. Maybe you don't think you have a responsibility to do what is right, maybe you're happy for your name to stand by this post, and that's your decision to make.
What's wrong with the post? Are you suggesting that what happened today isn't newsworthy and should not attract comment? That's a bit 1984 if you ask me...
Anon at the top is geting it a bit mixed up.
The SNP are in the Green group, that is of 55 MEPs
Even if what he says about the NVA, one MEP in the group,is correct, it is hardly comparable to being led,i will type that again for emphasis, led, as the Tories are, by someone who is on record as saying "Poland for the Poles" a well known inter war anti semitic cry in Poland.
Tory euroscepticism has landed them on the farish right, with a hotchpotch group of flakey revanchistes
Oh, the Conservatives are in the same European Parliamentary group aszzzzzzzzzzzzz.......
Grunt.
Jeff I suspect your opinion that support for Brussels in Scotland is "well clear of 50%" is wrong. Particularly with the approval many Scots have for Norway & the number of people, particularly in the North East with fishermen in the family.
In any case a policy doesn't have to have support of well above 50% for parties to adopt it or even to gain by adopting it (ID cards initially polled heavily favourably).
I take it that with your principles you also think the SNP should oppose independence from Britain as well as it doesn't currently score 50% :-)
Jeff I think your post is entirely appropriate- there is a huge difference to being the pubic face of a parliamentary grouping, especially a brand new one, to having someone with disagreeable views within that grouping. Every single party has representatives which have views, usually in the area of faith, morality or social liberalism, that the vast majority of whatever party it is would rather they didn’t. But it is quite different when you have voluntarily just entered a new grouping and the elected leader is someone like Kaminski especially in the same month when you are trying to flog your somewhat ropey gay credentials.
Scott, Perth
Anon if you said that Alex Salmond's best friends are Nazi-sympathisers and he was being led by a paedophile we would all just think you were bonkers.
Indy-
And yet it's true, no? If David Cameron's being led by an anti-semite in Europe, then Alex Salmond is likewise being led by a paedophile in Europe.
Jeff-
What I'm saying is wrong with the post is that it's trashy gossip, with no sense of perspective.
It is not gossip.
Go on to the BBC Europe site.
Fact is the idea was Kirkhope would be leader and the mad Pole would be VP of Euro-Parliament. MacMillan Scott would not tolerate that and stood and won with the help of christain Democrat votes , took the vice President post. The Poles, mightily miffed, told Cameron their right wing nutcase had better be compensated so he and not Kirkhope got to be leader.
Now the Tories, 24 out of 54 in their group are led by a heidbanger.
Political virgins;
Post a Comment