Options for dealing with the EU problem

Conservative policy has changed a lot towards the EU in recent years. The biggest change came with the Prime Minister’s decision to require a renegotiation of our relationship with the EU and to then let voters decide with an In/Out referendum. Supporting decisions have included the veto on the Fiscal Treaty, keeping the UK out of it, the demands for a lower EU budget, and the extrication of the UK from further financial support for Euro area countries and banks in trouble.

The mood in the Conservative Parliamentary party is supportive of all these initiatives, and understanding of the limits on immediate action imposed by the Lib Dems and the lack of a Conservative majority. This has not prevented us from thinking of other ways of trying to accelerate the change to the relationship we want, despite the present Parliamentary constraints.

There are two immediate opportunities that require decision this Parliament. The government was rightly persuaded to opt the UK out of all the Criminal Justice measures of the Union, using a right Labour put into our version of the Lisbon Treaty as reassurance at the time but would not itself have used. The Lib Dems and Labour wish to opt back in to many of the central measures. If we do so then these powers pass from the UK to the EU in perpetuity or until we leave the Union. Many of us are urging the government to come to separate extradition arrangements with the EU similar to those we enjoy with other non EU countries, to avoid this area falling under EU and ECJ control.

The second is the government needs to respond to a wide ranging and important unanimous report from the European Affairs Committee. This Report recommends that the UK government amends the 1972 European Communities Act to reassert Parliamentary sovereignty. We could for example reinforce our version of the Lisbon Treaty which expressly opted the UK out of any move to include the European Convention on Human Rights in European Union law. A recent ECJ Court case appears to have done just this despite the Treaty, so the Committee recommends asserting Parliamentary sovereignty in this respect. It would be an important precedent, and would mean the UK Parliament resisting erosion of our right to self government in an important area.

These are matters which we have been working on for many months. They are nothing to do with UKIP or the political response to UKIP. The serious business of the UK Parliament struggling to combat excessive EU power and legislation continues daily as it has done for many years, against a background of too many Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs who vote for any extension of EU power.

55 Comments

  1. Bill
    June 6, 2014

    Interesting article – but if this blog post is right Parliament loses the right to determine law in this country to the EU in November 2014.

    ”On the 1st November 2014 the right of Parliament to legislate over us in 43 areas, the important ones, will be removed and be made subject to approval. They call it QMV, Qualified Majority Voting.

    Each member State will lose it right of Veto over these areas, so Cameron’s idea of negotiation to recover any areas goes out the window at the same time.”

    Bill

    Reply These powers have already gone under the Lisbon Treaty which Labour signed and Conservatives voted against.

  2. Mark B
    June 6, 2014

    John Redwood wrote:

    “Conservative policy has changed a lot towards the EU in recent years. ”

    No its has not ! Cameron and the majority of your party wish to remain.

    ” . . . veto on the Fiscal Treaty . . . ”

    There was no veto ! He just did not sign the ‘agreement’. There was no treaty – stop coming out with this nonsense !

    And we, the UK, never got a reduction.
    a) Because we ended up paying more while the others paid less.
    b) The additional ÂŁ500 million pounds we now have to find.

    That in my book is not a reduction.

    We have also given monies to Ireland and to the IMF which then go to the Eurozone countries. So again, its not true that we have not given money to the EU.

    The ECHR does not come under the auspices of the EU, as you know but, comes under the Council of Europe.

    http://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=home&c=

    It is an area I am not particularly familiar but, I believe for us to leave or amend the our oblations to the ECHR, we would have to leave the Council of Europe. Something that I would oppose.

    I believe you when you say you are doing this despite the presence of UKIP. but we are less than 12 month from the GE, are we not ?

    1. Timaction
      June 6, 2014

      Now remind me which leader had a 3 line whip to prevent a referendum in this current Parliament? Who only today reaffirmed his desire to renegotiate and then stay IN the EU. That is no negotiating position at all. He’s merely kicking the can down the road and the people know it.
      Mr Cameron is an avid federalist and merely spins his position.
      The overall reduction in EU budget was an increase for the UK plus the additional 500 million as they wanted to help the Ukraine. The same Ukraine where the EU caused the problem through its expansionist agenda.
      There was no Treaty to veto as it didn’t exist at the time, it was a proposal.

      1. Lifelogic
        June 6, 2014

        Indeed Cameron’s genes are simply pro EU, big government, high tax, high regulation, enforced “equality”, anti-science green crap – he just cannot help it.

        What is offensive about him is that unlike Clegg or Ken Clarke he pretends he is not, then just kicks his supporters in the teeth. It simply will not wash a second time.

      2. Boudicca
        June 6, 2014

        According to Iain Martin, IF he is relected, Cameron is likely to resign two years later ie 2017. In which case his “promise” of a Referendum dies with him and The Establishment is off the hook.

        Cameron’s replacement will not be directly elected;he wil not be bound by Cameron’s promise and a Referendum will be cancelled/postponed.

        Cameron – to keep his “honour” intact will be able to claim that he didn’t break a promise to the electorate -events intervened!

    2. Hope
      June 6, 2014

      There is so much JR has chose to leave out for a propaganda blog. Cameron had the chance to amend the Lisbon treaty and chose NOT to. The veto that never was- the second part of the alleged veto required him to stop Eurozone country from using EU institutions, he did not. If he did name them. He claimed not to bail out countries directly or indirectly, he has done both- he called the Irish bail out a loan. The UK contribution has gone up, some saving! He is currently sending money to help the Ukraine as part of the EU expansionism into Russia. He allowed Croatia free entry to our country with all the benefits of our public services without our permission or consent. He now wants to allow Turkey the same free access. He has failed to curtail EU immigration , the number is increasing and he has NO power to control the quality or quantity of those coming here. He readily gives in-work benefits to EU workers and wants more. He allows child benefit to be sent abroad while stopping child allowance for UK citizens. He has allowed EU students to get free tuition in our universities while tripling the fees for Uk citizens. He allowed the EU arrest warrant, he chose to implement it. The Uk seems unable to deport undesirable people because of the ECHR, yet allow the US to help themselves to any Uk citizen- this does not appear to make citizens safer as Clegg claims. He allowed the fiscal pact to get around treaty change, he got nothing in return. Even though this was an ideal negotiating opportunity. Yesterday we had a former French PM saying Cameron is pretending to leave (DM). Borosso says politicians say one thing at home and another at the EU. One of his negotiating points is to prevent ever closer union. You were at the debate when he has allowed ÂŁ18 million pounds of taxpayers’ money to promote ever closer union. Yesterday we heard the despicable words from Clegg about right to recall MPs blaming Tory backbenchers, some have spoke out today. Noticeably Cameron has not. Perhaps scared if there were such a power he would be gone? I think your blog is skewed to create propaganda that the Tory party is not wed to the EU project, when all the facts show otherwise. You are in a minority in the Tory party and the leadership continues to have Euro fanatic people like Clarke in Cabinet and Heseltine as advisers. Both of whom were prepared to share a stage with Blair to argue for the UK to be in the Euro. The latest PR stunt is all about countering UKIP and the Eurosceptic people of this nation. Are we expected to believe Obama mentioning the UK to be in the EU yesterday at his meeting with Cameron was a coincidence?

      1. Bob
        June 6, 2014

        @Hope
        Added to all this is the fact that Cameron is now forming alliances with parties that he had previously ruled “beyond the pale” – Breitbart-London:

        “Conservative Party Leader David Cameron is trying to sabotage UKIP’s influence at the European Parliament, just days after trying to appear sympathetic to euroscepticism by telling the British people that their message at the polls was “received and understood.”

        Instead of accepting UKIP’s victory, Cameron has started a drive to cut off the legs of “the people’s army” in Brussels and Strasbourg. He has assigned Conservative Party fixers to do deals with hard-right and populist parties which, until now, the Conservatives claimed were “unacceptable.”

        The Tories are trying to stop Nigel Farage from forming a political group in the parliament by poaching UKIP’s longstanding allies; eurosceptic parties from Finland and Denmark.”

      2. Lifelogic
        June 6, 2014

        Indeed you are quite right – he fools very few nowadays, every one knows he is essentially a Nick Clegg in his genes. His only redeeming point are the sensible 100ish back benchers he has who drag him to reality very occasionally. Even then on the totally bonkers climate change act that was only a handful.

  3. Lifelogic
    June 6, 2014

    Meanwhile Obama made noises yesterday clearly aimed at encouraging the UK to stay in the EU and Scotland to stay within the Union. I assume these were all agreed and choreographed with Cameron the F/O and the powers that be? The chance of and serious renegotiation or a fair referendum with Cameron is zero.

    Not much doubt about what we will get if heart and soul gets back in in 11 months is there.

    At least the “wrong on every” issue fake green, anti business, pro EU Libdems lost their deposit.

    1. Lifelogic
      June 6, 2014

      I see that Labour have quite rightly complained about the party political nature of the Queen’s speech. All those vacuous coalition political catch phrases I assume it was rather insulting to the Queen I thought.

      It will however get even worse should we ever get Price Charles at King. This as we will already know what his silly unscientific views on quack greenery and many other issues. Will we ever get to see these green ink letters to ministers? I suppose not, but we sort of know what they were I suppose, given the cover up?

      Good to see the Queen in Normandy today again doing sterling work and looking in good form.

    2. Lifelogic
      June 6, 2014

      It is suggested that Cameron preferred Christine Lagarde to Jean-Claude Junker why? She is just as bad anyway she has ruled it out.

      The IMF predictions about the UK were completely wrong last time. Only recently she was making silly statements like. “If you take the 85 wealthiest people in the world — they can all fit in a double-decker bus — well, they have more amongst themselves than half of the population of the world — the poorest have, of course, but that is 3.5 billion people.”

      So what I assume she just wants to take all this wealth off them and waste it as governments and such state sector organisations nearly always do.

      1. APL
        June 6, 2014

        Lifelogic: “It is suggested that Cameron preferred Christine Lagarde to Jean-Claude Junker why? She is just as bad anyway she has ruled it out.”

        Simple. John is doing sterling work for Conservative central office, J-CJ is not a contender, but putting forward the idea that Cameron opposes him lays the groundwork so that when CL (or anyone else) gets the post, the beleaguered EUrosceptic Tory (note the singular) can say, ‘look, Cameron has spiked the guns of rabidly EUrophilliac J-CJ, and we can all breathe a sigh of of relief because instead of Tweedle dee, we get Tweedle dum.

        It’s the fiscal treaty veto, alloveragain.

        And it’s boring.

        Reply Lagarde is not a candidate.

  4. Mike Stallard
    June 6, 2014

    Mr Redwood – we are watching your party very closely out here in the part of the UK that is so despised by civilised, liberated, equality-conscious London.
    Very closely.
    Many of us have read M. Barroso’s speeches about “More Europe”, the “election” statements of the various runners for President of the Commission (described by a Lithuanian to me yesterday evening as “Komisars”). And we know all about the Extradition Treaty and the Statutory Instruments used to by-pass parliament.

    1. Anonymous
      June 6, 2014

      The lack of a Conservative majority in Parliament is down to the refusal by the Conservative party to stand for its natural supporters.

      We recognise that the Nu Conservative Party is Blairist replete with spin, celeb politicians and the adoption of socialist-capitalism whereby Lefties can make themselves millionaires with clear consciences and continue with their most beloved pastime, which is to lecture the rest of us on our consumption – which they now do with total lack of irony.

      1. Lifelogic
        June 6, 2014

        The lack of a Conservative majority in Parliament is down to Cameron’s ratting, Clegg on TV with equal billing and Cameron’s modernising green crap, high tax, lefty agenda at the last election. He will clearly do even worse at the next unless you changes rapidly.

  5. Narrow Shoulders
    June 6, 2014

    It is evident that until the renegotiation the status quo will persist, resistance to Juncker not withstanding as it is posturing. I look forward to the Conservative manifesto listing which repatriated power will equate to a successful renegotiation leading to a recommendation to vote for in. What will be our own 4 pillars?

    Similarly I look forward to a similar list of red lines should Scotland vote for out, this list should already be in existence so the Scots have real facts on which to vote.

    1. Denis Cooper
      June 6, 2014

      “which repatriated power will equate to a successful renegotiation”

      Cameron has said that perhaps the most important treaty change would be one to relieve the UK from the present commitment to “ever closer union”.

      On the Andrew Marr Show, May 11th:

      http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/201411051.pdf

      “We achieve those negotiation changes. Perhaps the most important is getting Britain out of the clause that says the European Union must be committed to an ever closer union.

      I don’t accept that. I don’t think the British people want to accept that.”

      Of course he doesn’t have to guess what we want, even though the opinion polls are pretty clear; he could ask us about it in a “mandate” referendum.

  6. Lifelogic
    June 6, 2014

    What will surely happen (in the absence of any UKIP deal) is that voters in 50% of Tory seats, where the MP is in effect a Libdem anyway (or where UKIP are more likely to win) will to a large degree vote tactically for UKIP.

    I really cannot see how Cameron can possibly win with his current heart and soul in the EU, say one thing do the complete opposite, fake renegotiation, no deal strategy.

    It will be clearly in most Constituencies who to vote for. Ukip are now the main challenger in nearly all English MPs seats across the country and many Labour seats. Will this just split the anti EU vote and let Labour in or will enough vote tactically? I suspect, tragically Wallace and Gromit will get in, thanks to Cameron’s ratting, dishonesty and Libdem agenda.

    1. Anonymous
      June 6, 2014

      Our mistake was to vote tactically (Tory – as the press told us to do so) in 2010. But that was the election to lose.

      By now an emergency election would have taken place with Labour totally and unequivocally blamed for our economic condition.

      The Tory Party would have reformed under more traditional Tory lines and would now be looking forward to at least three terms in office.

      1. Lifelogic
        June 6, 2014

        The real election to lose was the one Thatcher won with her man John Major – before the ERM fiasco. This was won before the country worked out what sort of person Major actually was.

        Then Labour would have had the blame for Major’s moronic ERM and we might have got a real Tory party. We have not had one since Thatcher was knifed and Major buried them.

      2. A different Simon
        June 6, 2014

        What would be worse , a Labour Govt in 2015 or an unreformed Conservative govt under Cameron ?

        I think Peter Hitchen’s has it right that the Conservative party need to be utterly humiliated in 2015 to such an extent that it forces them back to the drawing board – without Cameron as architect .

        Maybe they would even bring Mr Redwood back into the fold if that happened .

        Not sure what to make of the bye election last night other than a good result for LibLabCon .

        1. Lifelogic
          June 6, 2014

          I cannot bare the thought of Cameron getting in again and just ratting for a second time as he clearly will. Miliband’s imbecilic rent act will cost me a great deal of money and inconvenience (and do much damage to many tenants too) but I would rather have Miliband, despite all this. He says silly things now but in office he might not be as daft as he sounds now.

          At least we would not have to watch the smug ratter, Libdem, say one thing do the complete opposite Cameron any longer.

      3. Boudicca
        June 6, 2014

        Some voted tactically. Others could see what Cameron was and stuck to their principles.

    2. Narrow Shoulders
      June 6, 2014

      I do not think that the electorate genuinely cares that much about Europe and will revert to tribal politics or absence in the General Election.

      The only UKIP issue which strikes a chord is immigration and the BNP has never done hugely well in a General Election. The electorate has seen what happens when a protest party gets into government (it betrays its principles) so the non-client state electorate is most likely to either abstain or vote Conservative if their politics is less left wing.

      UKIP has few credible policies on the things that really matter to the electorate and no machine to get over any new ideas that they do generate. Do not put your hopes in a UKIP surge next May. Pressurising the Conservatives to change their spots would be more productive (but probably ultimately futile, oh for a none of the above box on my ballot paper).

      1. BobE
        June 6, 2014

        I vote Ukip because I want to retain my countries sovereign status. It has nothing to do with immigration. I don’t want my country as a region of the EUSSR.

      2. Anonymous
        June 6, 2014

        UKIP is the ‘none of the above party’ with an indication as to why. Without the nastiness of the BNP (which the ‘superior’ French would have voted for btw.)

      3. Hope
        June 7, 2014

        It would not matter if any of the LibLabCon cartel win the election, you get the same result. Look at the economy and the mess it is I still in after all the promiss. The. EU, immigration, failing public services, lack of national security etc.

      4. Mark B
        June 7, 2014

        I pretty much agree with your post. Thanks.

    3. Denis Cooper
      June 6, 2014

      That’s already been sorted; in effect the three pro-EU parties will arrange to lend each other supporters to try to ensure that UKIP doesn’t win in any seat.

      We’ve just had a demonstration of that will work in Newark, where it seems that about a third of those who were initially minded to vote Labour ended up holding their noses and voting for the Tory candidate instead, contributing nearly half of his majority over the UKIP candidate.

  7. Alan Wheatley
    June 6, 2014

    While I can see the merit of the two measures as described, it does rather have the flavour of playing two merry tunes on the fiddle while the UK (Rome) burns.

  8. Brian Tomkinson
    June 6, 2014

    JR: “The serious business of the UK Parliament struggling to combat excessive EU power and legislation continues daily as it has done for many years, against a background of too many Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs who vote for any extension of EU power.”
    May I remind you that we have had a Conservative-led government for the last 4 years and that 70% of your party’s MPs are pro EU. Trying to blame the Labour and LibDems alone for extension of EU power is disingenuous and devalues your arguments.

    Reply Wrong on both counts. We do not have a Conservative government and most Conservative MPs are Eurosceptic.

    1. Lifelogic
      June 6, 2014

      To reply.

      We do not have a conservative government thanks to Cameron’s ratting and basic errors and his duff “modernising” compass.

      Even if Cameron had won the election we would still not have had a real conservative government.

      If we have 70% Eurosceptics in the party why are nearly all the Ministers and Cameron fake green, pro EU, big tax, over regulate, Libdems – in all but name?

    2. Brian Tomkinson
      June 6, 2014

      Reply to reply,
      We don’t have a Conservative-led coalition government do we not?
      I am sorry but there is no evidence to support your claim that most Conservative MPs are Eurosceptic, in fact quite the contrary.

    3. Duyfken
      June 6, 2014

      An article in Breitbart is headlined: “British Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that the Conservative Party will not release plans around a negotiation with the European Union unless the Conservatives are voted back in to government next year.”

      So this is evidence of a Eurosceptic Conservative Party, as JR keeps trying to imply or even asserts. What do these MPs take us for – idiots? In my native vernacular “Don’t come the raw prawn with me, mate”.

    4. Boudicca
      June 6, 2014

      I find it amazing that Mr Redwood tries to claim the Conservative Party is resisting EU Governance when it has done more than any other Party to facilitate it.

  9. A different Simon
    June 6, 2014

    If Cameron was given the chance to negotiate with the EU , would he :-

    – genuinely try to renegotiating the UK’s position

    – try to deceive the people into believing that the UK’s relationship with Europe had been fundamentally changed ?

    I suspect Cameron would attempt to powder the pig sufficiently to sell it to the British people .

    Worryingly he might succeed but the EU would still be a pig ; that is the nature of the beast , metaphorically and perhaps apocalyptically .

    1. Lifelogic
      June 6, 2014

      He would powder the pig and pull in the BBC, CBI, US president, the EU etc. and with a few negotiation fig leafs would probably win.

      I would rather have Labour and Milibands bonkers rent act II, that will cost me and my tenants rather a lot alas. It will be a price worth paying alas.

      1. A different Simon
        June 6, 2014

        Miliband stands out as the only main party leader with any sort of convictions now that Mr Browne has gone .

        Messrs Blair , Cameron and Clegg are Chameleons (David Icke was right) .

        You could interchange them without noticing much difference and they would all feel perfectly at home in each others parties .

        The Conservatives are relying on those who have just enough that they live in fear that a Labour Govt will take it away from them .

        Increasingly this is becoming a smaller and smaller section of society as the young are getting poorer and the old are retiring without savings .

        Looks like electoral suicide to me but what can you expect from a couple of out of touch posh boys .

  10. Bryan
    June 6, 2014

    As noted above President Obamarama has firmly committed Mr Cameron to keep the UK in the EU. A good enough reason to leave right now; but how I wish Mr Cameron did not look ready to genuflect every time the President hoves into view!

    The President also told the Scots to remain in the Union – again a great reason to leave the Union if one were needed to swing the vote.

    It is time to stop fawning over the US and the so called special relationship. It is clearly one-way, from East to West, and has been for some considerable time.

  11. matthu
    June 6, 2014

    Please remind me how powers which “pass from the UK to the EU in perpetuity” do not amount to ceding power to the EU?

    Because I always understood that if any more powers were ceded to the EU this would automatically require a referendum?

    I am sure there is a loophole somewhere – there always is, but I just need someone to point it out to me.

    Thanks!

    1. Lifelogic
      June 6, 2014

      Oh this is not ceding “new” powers this was already planned! It is like a treaty once it has been ratified it magically vaporises and becomes not a treaty but part of EU law.

      So once ceded the matter is over with, without any consent needed from the tax fodder, worker bees.

      1. matthu
        June 6, 2014

        But … The government was rightly persuaded to opt the UK out of all the Criminal Justice measures of the Union, using a right Labour put into our version of the Lisbon Treaty as reassurance at the time but would not itself have used. The Lib Dems and Labour wish to opt back in to many of the central measures. If we do so then these powers pass from the UK to the EU in perpetuity or until we leave the Union.

        So essentially we are saying that at the moment opting back into the central measures is not something we are legally obliged to do meaning we have an opportunity to retain those powers.

        But if we do decide to opt back in, then this will be giving away powers to the EU in perpetuity.

        So if we opt back in powers will be transferred to the EU and this should trigger a referendum. Anybody who argues otherwise is using weasel words of the worst kind i.e. read the small print. “When we said powers transferring back to EU we didn’t actually mean powers in the normal sense. “

  12. Iain Moore
    June 6, 2014

    We see how serious the Conservative party are to the EU renegotiation in Hague’s statement today, where he says we will only find out what powers are to be renegotiated AFTER the next election.

    The Conservatives want to exclude us from participating in and putting forward ideas to which powers we want repatriated. It is our sovereignty, but they think it is their little play thing.

    If any body had any doubts that Cameron is planning is a Wilsonian con, then the very fact that they want to exclude us from having any input, then Hague’s statement should make it clear for them. Cameron is planning a tokenist renegotiation followed by a scaremongering referendum, where they will say the sky will fall in on our heads if we dare make a leap for freedom.

  13. Ex-expat Colin
    June 6, 2014

    There is good reason to maintain useful relationships with Europe. Don’t need to unify with an EU or anywhere else for that matter. Far too difficult and expensive to say the very least.

    I hope a group of somebody’s in UK (+/- Scotland) has had the good sense to communicate with the trading groups in the Far East and our old Commonwealth countries. Also, can somebody stop Cameron cow-towing to Obama over Russia. Get the UK into Russia and influence them so that we may acquire wealth and kill our massive debts. Vast resources available!

    I thought that Cameron on meeting Putin would quietly shut the Obama/Kerry cackle down greatly. Not so, more threats and another threat it appears of deploying 1000 UK troops too near Russia’s borders. Is this what a PPE and no wide and real experience does?

    Once we have good relationships everywhere else globally (and some of us have), simply notify the EU of a fair departure date. If response remains more or less null, immediately leave. Any favourite fines or threats from the EU can be countered with a simple Foxtrot Oscar or simply ignore. Just don’t go on holiday in Europe for a few years…you might get attention from the awkward French police or whoever.

    Farage:

    “The Conservatives have probably put more into this than any by-election they’ve ever fought in their history”.

    1600 activists at Newark……from London, EU or where? Try that again at the GE.

  14. English Pensioner
    June 6, 2014

    “These are matters which we have been working on for many months. They are nothing to do with UKIP or the political response to UKIP. “
    Sorry, but I simply don’t believe it.
    If it hadn’t been for UKIP growing and the polls showing that their support was increasing, I believe the government would have done nothing. Even when (if) we get a referendum, Cameron has said that he would support a vote to stay in, this before he knows whether he has succeeded in getting any concessions. Not a very good negotiating position when he, in effect, says to the EU: “I want these concessions, but don’t worry if I can’t have them, as I will advise the electorate to stay in the EU regardless.”

  15. Terry
    June 6, 2014

    I still do not understand why we would benefit by remaining in the EU. Our exports would be protected by World Trade Agreements and we would be free of the shackles of Brussels bureaucracy to expand on our own. Why should we subsidise other Nations when, despite the diabolical rip-off, QE programme, we can barely tick over our GDP.

    Outside of the Single Market, just what good is the EU?

  16. Terry
    June 6, 2014

    I read today that B.Obama reiterates that we should remain in the EU. He, clearly, is oblivious to the fact that, Britain, as a sovereign Nation has given away most of its law making abilities to an unelected body in a foreign country. All without the consent of its citizens.

    Someone cognisant, should explain that to him and ask just how he and the American people, as part of NAFTA, would feel, if they were held to account by a non-American group based in say, Mexico. A good analogy for the UK-EEC-EU and USA-NAFTA-??
    It is clear, the American Administration have no real clue of what the EU represents. But if they do, it is also clear that they wish to see GB and Europe undermined even further. After all, Europe are direct competitors to the USA in World Trade and keeping us out of it means easy pickings for themselves.

    However, I do believe Protus still considers the EU is just a new name for the EEC and that is not good for us nor for our future growth.

  17. Tom William
    June 6, 2014

    The Government wants to modify the EAW, but you can be sure that “modification” will be a matter of interpretation. Accuse an innocent person of being a drug smuggler (eg for driving a vehicle suspected of being used by someone else to smuggle drugs), for example, or a suspect terrorist (eg for taking photographs) and I am willing to bet the “suspect” will e fast track extradited. Why should a country with our legal traditions not decide ALL extradition requests on the evidence? That is what used to happen, without excessive delays.

    Why is the Government wanting to stay in Eurojust and Europol? What are the advantages?

  18. Mark
    June 6, 2014

    It is very disappointing that Mr Hague has announced that voters will have to take on trust the scope of any plans for EU renegotiation until after the next election. That rather leads to the suspicion that they are inadequate to convince voters that renegotiation will be in any way substantive. He should instead set out his stall, and at the least indicate whether he agrees with Mr Redwood about the scope of renegotiation necessary on topics such as immigration, energy, banking regulation, the CAP etc.

  19. Bert Young
    June 6, 2014

    The result in Newark clearly shows the mountain the Conservatives have to climb to stand any sort of chance of a win in May . Although the statements made today concerning the changes the Conservative wish to make with the EU indicate a different line to that taken in the past , much more has to be done to convince me that they are the horse to back . UKIP have provided a beacon of light to the traditional Conservative voter and their popularity will remain strong over the coming months . If a common ground can be created between the Conservatives and UKIP , I will definitely support it ; the majority eurosceptic Conservative MPs ought to see the value of this relationship and urge upon their leadership to make the right steps to bring it about . Failure to do this certainly will harden my attitude and cement my support for UKIP .

  20. ian
    June 6, 2014

    it was a half of a battalion john

  21. Boudicca
    June 6, 2014

    The Conservative Party may have made a slight adjustment to its policy on the EU, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. The Party wants us IN the EU regardless of the impact on our Sovereignty and Democracy and – it seems – regardless of the impact on our internal economy and our ability to trade with whomsoever we please on the terms which suits Us and THEM.

    The Party is quite prepared to surrender the ability to govern our own country – in the interests of maintaining a supra-national treaty organisation which is destroying the nation states of Europe.

    Cameron is a EUphile …. just like Macmillan, Heath, Thatcher (until the end of her career); Major, Hague and Howard.

    The days when the Conservative Party represented the British people are long gone. Now they represent the EU and Big Business.

  22. ian
    June 6, 2014

    are ministration take its orders from usa and eu that”s why all our governments want to stay in the eu,we just pay the bills. Mr osborne is a wet and mad. The british ministration has just ask him to sign our bank account over to the treasury just case the ministration can not lend any more money ,so the elite and the ministration do not run out of money, they got all are money now, pensions isa the lot, even companies. The ministration is not taking any chances, they acted before time. So i now that they are running, maybe not long to go

  23. Trumpeter Lanfried
    June 7, 2014

    EU negotiations, 2016:

    Cameron: I have here a list of 97 very serious and far-reaching reforms which include the repatriation of legislative and other powers to the United Kingdom.

    J C Junker: How charming! How very Anglo-Saxon!

    Cameron: Yes-but-No-but-Yes-but-No-but-Yes-but …

    J C Junker: Have a word with my secretary will you? I am rather busy just now and I have an important seven-course banquet this evening.

  24. WitteringsfromWitney
    June 7, 2014

    In a letter dated 10th November 2010 from the European Commission to Stefano Manservisi, Director General, DG Home it was stated that EU law was supreme not only of national law but also national constitutional law.

    You amend ECA1972 – it will mean squat-diddly!

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