Monday 24 October 2011

Why Tory MPs are revolting.

I seems that over 70 Tory MPs are prepared to defy the Whip and votethe motion, tabled by Tory MP David Nuttall, asks whether Britain should remain a member of the EU on current terms, leave the EU, or renegotiate the terms of British membership to create a new relationship based on trade and co-operation.A number of backbench Labour MPs have also signed the motion, including Graham Stringer, Austin Mitchell and John Cryer. But Labour sources say the party will order its MPs to vote against a referendum on Britain's future in Europe.

The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, will claim pushing for a national poll at a time of high unemployment and stagnating economic growth is an "irresponsible and terrible distraction".

The Liberal Democrats despite trying to distance their pro EU beliefs by staring this in 2010 thier Manifesto 

"The European Union has evolved significantly since the last public vote on membership over thirty years ago. Liberal Democrats therefore remain committed to an in / out referendum the next time a British government signs up for fundamental change in the relationship between the UK and the EU".

Will be opposing the referendum motion and although they cam claim that they were arguing for any future changes and not retrospective. One wonders what their position would have been if in opposition. Well I don't really wonder they would be supporting the motion . well as long as they knew it would be defeated.

Of course for a number of Tories they will realise that cull in seats are the redrawing of constituency boundaries means that it is more important to appease the future constituencies who will be re-selecting thier candidates for the next General election rather than the Tories Whips

One senior figure told The Independent:

 "The mood of Tory grassroots members is overwhelmingly Eurosceptic. They want a referendum on the EU. A candidate who opposed that in Parliament would be cutting his or her own throat. The boundary review will be a big factor in MPs' minds."
Personally as a democrat who supports I am not opposed to a referendum on Europe in the future if there is a clear call but I don't see the bleating of the right media as one. Though any referendum may expose their position which would place the Nations of the UK as little more than a client state of the United States of America.

If the motion was passed I can't see how a re-negotiations will work . What happens if the EU simply says Non to every issue? So the only real issue is In or Out. Which is the real agenda of the Eurosceptics
In many ways the Eurosceptic Tories objection to European Unity is based on the myth that Britain is Major power that has a say in the World together with the hatred of any legislation they see as a "liberal" agenda.

The main problem I see is at the present time such a referendum in the mix of the current European financial crisis will not be helpful and the idea that an American Citizen (Rupert Murdoch" through his media empire will distort the debate makes me question whether such a referendum would be truly democratic and reflect the true will of the people.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Most Tory MPs are revolting.