The European elections on the continent should be gripping and important for a change. In dispute is the future of the Eurozone and the economic policy that has brought them slow growth or no growth in the deficit regions. They need to resolve how far and how fast they intend to go in pursuit of full economic, monetary and political union. They need to have a proper argument about the German vision of an economic Europe where the weaker economies accept the discipline and the rules without receiving large transfers to ease the pain, in contrast to the southern vision of a proper transfer union where money passes from the rich regions to the poor regions to create greater equality and solidarity.
They do organise loose groupings of parties that campaign on a Europe wide basis instead of sticking to national electorates and preoccupations, but have difficulty in getting a more co-ordinated conversation about transfers, a common Finance Minister and budget across the varying countries and viewpoints that still disagree strongly about the future. The political landscape is fracturing more, with the once dominant centre left and centre right coalitions of Social Democrats and Christian Democrats no longer likely to command more than a quarter of the vote and seats each. The PR system, the complexity of the EU architecture and the angry audiences in many countries are creating a wide range of new parties and movements, mainly organised in single nations. There is no obvious parallel to En March in France, Cinque Stelle in Italy, Vox in Spain or France Insoumise in other countries. Each have their own populist movements with a range of views.
It should be obvious to anyone that the UK should not be joining in these elections. Our preoccupation should be orderly and speedy exit. We do not have a view or even a right to a view on how much political union the others want and need when we are meant to be on the way out. The UK government is placing us and the rest of the EU in an impossible position by delaying our exit for no good reason. We do not want to pay for the next stage of their journey so should leave it to them to battle out just how big a budget they want and who from amongst the remaining members is going to pay the bills.
April 24, 2019
Three years after the referendum vote to Leave and we are participating in EU elections.
This is now surreal.
April 24, 2019
True, and it’s also an absolute outrage — a complete waste of another hundred million quid or so which could be far better spent elsewhere. When I think of some of the suffering and hardship in this country that just this “drop in the ocean” could alleviate, honestly, it makes my blood boil.
This is the depths of lunacy to which our current broken political system has brought us. This is why I will be voting to change it (and I don’t mean Change UK, who really don’t want to change anything at all). It will be an uphill battle but it’s one we have to fight for the future of this country — while we still have one we can call our own.
April 24, 2019
JR, I blogged a few months ago that your party was done. May has no loyalty to the country, to your parliamentary party or volunteer party. When she sold out N. Ireland (a part of our country) in December 2017 being prepared to let it be an annex of the EU, contrary to her public claims that no PM would countenance (similar to her phrase to participate in EU election that is in vogue). You all appeared asleep.
I think the destruction of your party is being realised by May and her team, the Brexit party and your own associations, supporters and activists. What surprises me time and again, is the way all of you stand in the road like rabbits in the headlights waiting for May and her cohorts to hit you again.
There is no way May will act in honour of resigning. She will need to be forced out. Hammond, Rudd, Greg Clarke, Liddington’s political careers depend on it. Their fanatical EU remain dreams rely on it. Leadsom, Fox, Maurdant and Gove are done. The servitude plan details are now out in the open, too many people know how dreadful her servitude plan is and cannot understand why ministers support it. No one will trust them to be in cabinet, they are in the same disloyal position as the remain traitors. The civil service/EU will be planning now how to out manoeuvre May’s ejection or worse case scenerio put Corbyn in if he will remain in the EU.
Corbyn is coming make no mistake about it. Sadly, the Brexit party will not be in a position in time to stop him. You lot have about a week or two at tops to bring her and the cabinet down.
Deluded souls like Rory Stewart blames everyone for not accepting her servitude plan. No fault with May it is everyone else. Good grief what an awful spectacle he is. Same for Liddington in Parliament today. All those on the front bench watching-Hammond, Lewis, Rudd, Mundell must now realise they have let Corbyn in office.
April 24, 2019
Please note:
Tory MPs must stop lying to say they need to deliver on the referendum and promises made to the public. The general election was clear lies on Brexit as well in 2017. The promise was to leave with or without a deal by 29th March, as did 12th April etc etc. Three years of failed promises and deliberate lies.
I also note no changers party rules to oust May! Rabbits in headlights. General election now so the public can clear the Tory lies and make Brexit happen.
Finally, Tory Chris Davies MP gets a warning from his whip for a criminal conviction for fiddling his expenses! A law maker convicted for fiddling his expenses does not get sacked by warned! That is all you need to know about Tory party standards.
April 25, 2019
What that when with the Merkel/Mays ‘deal’ will be paying the EU Ā£403 million a week!!!!!!
April 24, 2019
Dear Anon–Straight out of Kafka with a hefty dash of Feydeau
April 24, 2019
I have watch British politics for decades. Crises come and crises go, but I have never before witnessed a rogue Prime Minister. And she is protected by a supine majority of Tory MPs who have buried their heads in the sand.
We voted to leave the EU. Even TEU Article 50 confirms that means leaving the EU treaties. Yet our Leave vote has been discarded. The Conservative party has trashed our democracy, and the UK’s reputation for fairness and the rule of law.
April 25, 2019
The Tory grandee think their supporters have no choice because of the dreadful alternative ie Corbyn. This BS is not going to work this time we have had enough of their treachery.
April 25, 2019
Indeed we have suffered appalling āConservativeā PMs Heath, Major, Cameron and worst of all T May. All essentially pro EU tax to death socialists, pretending not to be. Even Lady Thatcher made some massive and rather predictable mistakes – appointing Major as Chancellor the main one and allowing him to take the country into the ERM being the main one. Also trusting plonker Letwin on the poll tax and trying it out in Scotland! It was always going to be a disaster politically.
April 25, 2019
No-one’s ever been able to explain to me why there’s a prerequisite for a legally binding treaty just to Leave the EU, when the existing treaty provides for us to leave, no strings, after 2 years.
April 25, 2019
Yes, a rogue Prime Minister, and one who treats with scorn and contempt those MPs who merely wish to implement the promises made the Conservative general election manifesto. A “rebel” is now someone who wants to honour the commitments their party made when they were elected.
April 24, 2019
So am I understanding this correctly? The supporters of Brexit have to hang on for however long it takes for the Government to agree to leave the EU. Which means that there will be a lengthy term of uncertainty in market trading, our fishing grounds will continue to be over fished and the whole of the UK is under EU control and paying full membership fees, until someone makes a determined effort to leave the EU sometime in the future.
In the meantime, due to this delay – the UK now has the right to representation in the European Parliament. Wonderful – we do not want representation, we do not even want to be there! Even if the Brexit Party were to have most representatives in that Parliament – what good would it do? How could that bring about a swift exit from the EU? Or are we all being fooled into agreeing to a number of UK politicians chasing mega salaries for their own good?
April 24, 2019
Good morning
The Europarl elections mean nothing. A fig leaf to give the people an illusion of democracy. But in this case its different, as it gives us another chance to give Teresa May’s Conservative government a good kicking. It serves as the only means of showing dissatisfaction with what is going on.
April 24, 2019
I read that Ann Widdecombe will stand for the Brexit party. No doubt she will deliver verbal blows to the May government. May has got herself and the Conservative party into a big hole from which escape now looks next to impossible. She is accused by the Brexit party of negotiating a surrender document more appropriate to a country defeated in war. And she accused of a betrayal of the referendum vote. Both charges resonate with the electorate.
April 24, 2019
May has been ALLOWED to get herself and the party into a big hole – or else she simply intended all along to drag us into that hole. That her colleagues saw this scenario unfolding over the past two or more years and did nothing to stop it, is shameful.
If those of us out here could see this storm descending upon us, why couldn’t those much nearer see it too AND ACT SOONER?
Why?
April 24, 2019
Being dissatisfied with the status quo is easy. Actually coming up with positive ways to change things for the better is hard. Which is Brexiteers have failed so miserably from the last 3 years.
You literally have nothing positive to say.
April 24, 2019
It may have escaped your notice but there have been no Brexiteers in charge for the last umpteen years, only remain saboteurs. It there had been, this current sorry mess would not have emerged. It can be put squarely at the feet of haters like you.
April 24, 2019
@ Jagman84
Despite your inspiring language there have been brexiteers in charge of many things as roughly half the Cabinet voted to leave the EU. Why call people saboteurs and haters? Monkey on the shoulder? And all of this under a cloak of anonymity. Very brave.
April 24, 2019
Rien, Remains started the day after the Referendum calling us Leaves thick, uneducated, racist, flat-earthers who did not know what we were voting for. It took us two or more years to start fighting back. Your whining about our response is both precious and hypocritical.
The difference is still there: our vote has been sabotaged; and those who sell out their own country to a foreign power are traitors. You may keep your rotten ideology, we want no part of it; and your one-sided faux-indignation is irrelevant.
April 24, 2019
Nonsense Rien
The majority of the Cabinet are remainers.
They want us to remain in the EU.
Which is what the Widrawal Agreement does.
April 24, 2019
Yes, I am anon, as are many others in this Thought Police modern UK. Our host knows who I am, assuming our email addresses are available to him. He has the choice whether or not to publish my viewpoints. I do not require your permission.
Apparently both David Davis and Dominic Raab were ‘in charge’ at the Brexit department whilst at the same time being undermined by the PM and her lackey (or handler?), the well known Federalist, Mr Oliver Robbins.
Saboteurs and haters? Read ‘Andy’s’ daily output for the hate and circa 75% of the HoC and the MSM for the saboteurs.
April 24, 2019
Not true. The only ‘brexiteers’ in the cabinet gave up in disgust at being ignored or overridden by May and her Civil Servant colleague.
April 24, 2019
Brexiteers were, literally, given their own department to run Brexit from.
A Brexiteer – David Davis – was put in charge. His ministers were all
Brexiteers – Steve Baker, Suella Braverman, David Jones. Another Brexiteer – Boris Johnson was given charge of the Foreign Office. And another, Liam Fox, has a new trade department.
Around the Cabinet table have been Brexiteers Michael Gove, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom, Penny Mordaunt, Esther McVey. Iain Duncan Smith has had unusual access to No 10 for a backbencher – as has Mogg.
Brexit backing groups – Taxpayers Alliance, the IEA, Legatum etc have been given what can, charitably, described as āunusualā levels of access to ministers.
Throughout Mrs May has clearly been desperate for any of these people to come up with an actual plan to deliver Brexit on the terms promised in 2016. They have all failed. Everyone of the tough talking Brexiteers has failed. You can blame remainers all you like. History will blame you.
April 24, 2019
Almost all you list have been banished and sidelined andy.
Its as if you live in an alternative universe.
Do you ever read the major newspapers?
April 25, 2019
Andy, Theresa May instructed her own Ministry – the No.10 Unit – to write a full “Brexit” White Paper in secret competition with DExEU. At Chequers Mrs May discarded DExEU’s WP and instead imposed her own version.
That in turn has led to the dWA and the Political Declaration. No Brexiteers were involved contrary to your assertions. If you have to lie to make your feeble Remain points, you have to ask yourself whether your position has any merit. Or even utility.
April 25, 2019
Many of those you cite are faux brexiteers.
May is a staunch remainer, and everything – and I do mean EVERYTHING – that she has done is in collusion with the ā¬U and geared towards preventing the first member state from leaving.
Colluding with a foreign power to act against the best interests of both HM and the UK is treason.
And Theresa May is guilty as charged.
April 24, 2019
Andy
If you believe in a pure and simple Brexit you can vote for the Brexit Party.
That is a positive action, and a positive vote.
Of course those that believe in other matters can vote the way they choose, although it does become more difficult when other Parties are not clear on what they are actually standing for.
April 24, 2019
Either he goes or I do Sir John.
April 24, 2019
Perhaps our host publishes Andy Pandy’s deluded rants to demonstrate what he and other MPs have to deal with each day?
April 25, 2019
He doesn’t like to publish my highly appropriate responses to this jumped-up nonentity! Perhaps he doesn’t much care for me calling a spade a spade or exposing pro-EU idiots for what they are.
April 24, 2019
This is abuse and trolling. Andy has nothing to add and keeps rehashing the same old drivel that it’s what we voted for when it isn’t – and then the same old tosh about Brexiteers failing when the truth is that Brexit has been sabotaged by a Remain establishment.
Remain have won so why do you allow a Remainer to come here and rub salt in our wounds ?
April 24, 2019
Don’t become like them Anon. The intolerant stifle debate, they bar people they disagree with from universities. They deface properties that put up Tory posters and think that is ok. There is one rule for their egg smasher on faces and another when they get egged. They fly blimps and put nooses on bridges, they are intolerant on twitter until it is turned on them. Don’t be them.
The left and intolerant get all over excited for every slip of the tongue, or retweet that isn’t true, yet their MPs can retweet false propaganda and just get away with it, other people end up in prison or thrown off twitter (see Guido Fawkes and his post about Grahame Morris a Shadow Cabinet Minister’s retweet about Israel Defense Forces).
April 25, 2019
Power is always given, never taken, and Mrs May has given power to the losing side by providing unprecedented opportunities to keep their campaign alive. All she needed to do to diffuse the situation was translate the referendum result into constituency majorities, which we would have accepted with the grace we always have.
April 24, 2019
It is surprising our host keeps humouring him given the requirement for brevity and fresh rather than regurgitated comment.
April 24, 2019
After several years of abusing us as old and stupid Andy says itās US who have nothing positive to say.
April 24, 2019
Andy. Surely we are beyond all this Brexiteer and Remainer rubbish.
Aren’t we all in the same boat now? We’ve opened a Pandora’s box and have no way of closing it.
A lot of the population seem to see not making a deal with the E.U as betraying the referendum.
A lot of the population seem to see making a deal with the E.U as betraying the referendum.
Others like myself think a plague on all your houses and are bored to tears by the whole stupid thing.
April 24, 2019
Merlin, Yet you persist in your boring comments! Our Leave vote was not conditional upon a deal. How many times do you have to be told that? The only conditional deal was for Remain, not Leave. A deal may (or may not, in my opinion) be desirable, but it was never a condition of us leaving the EU treaties.
April 24, 2019
This is correct Andy, the brexiteers have left all the running on Brexit to remainers – no positive news allowed out, no positive media, most just backed off and many quit.
The Conservative Brexiteer MPs I’d guess thought that electing a PM and Chancellor there were remain would unite both sides of the party, instead, Mrs May couldn’t be trusted at her word, Brexit Minister after Minister resigned on principle (where were their actual principles to provide what was voted on) and Hammond, well most Brexiteers should prefer John Redwood in that position.
April 24, 2019
To be fair, you don’t have to be a brexiter, or even a conservative, to prefer other possible chancellors over Hammond. Basic fiscal knowledge or common humanity suffices.
April 24, 2019
I have yet to hear anything positive about the EU from you remainers .
Where is that great vision for the future ?
German hegemony whereby Germany gets the eurozone benefits and others pay for the ‘privilege ‘
We Leavers can see all the benefits of sovereignty , the nation state , trade deals with the EU and many other countries , our own foreign and defence policies , our own priorities – not those foisted on us like ‘climate change ‘ , HS2 ,gay marriage and servitude .
We are determined to achieve our bright future not your pathetic vassaldom without any overarching ambition .
April 24, 2019
Man of Kent
“I have yet to hear anything positive about the EU from you remainers ”
That’s because Brexiteers have closed minds stuck in some mythical past where Britain rules the waves (and a quarter of the globe)
What exactly are the benefits of sovereignty we lack as EU members?
We can have all the trade deals we want with other nations outside the EU. The only things stopping us is that we don’t make many things they want after we changed our industry from manufacturing to finance and service.
Defence policy? It wasn’t the EU that made us enter into the disastrous illegal Iraq war and all that followed but our in your words ‘pathetic vassaldom’ to the US.
And they agree with you on things like climate change.
April 25, 2019
Usual red herring nonsense.
Answer the question Margaret.
April 24, 2019
A remain PM and a largely remain party and Parliament have been in charge for the last 3 years and consequently we see the result of their pretending to be respecting the referendum result whilst all the time desperately trying to find ways to delay and if possible overturn it.
Unfortunately Brexiters have not been in charge.
April 24, 2019
Thanks to Gove, the disingenuous T May, the many remoaner MPs (for ensuring no sensible deal was offered by the EU) and the dreadful actions of the Speaker.
I see that white van woman Emily Thornberry has suggested that Trump (when he visits the UK) be placed at dinner between Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough. Sound like a good idea both Greta and Attenborough need some proper education on Climate Change and energy production technology. Perhaps have MIT Professor Richard Lindzen to fill in on the finer point of the physics. Why not have Michael Gove and Selwyn Gummer (Baron Deben) as they need to get real on the issue too.
April 24, 2019
Andy, Don’t be even more silly than usual. The positive way to change things for the better is to accept the democratic result and become an independent nation again. Peoples have strived for self-determination throughout the ages, and of course the UK can be independent.
You literally have nothing positive to say. Your vision is serfdom at the whim of a corrupt oligarchy leading to the sort of poverty endemic to young people in southern EU. And you know, on one level, the EU elections are a joke.
April 24, 2019
The UK is independent. Did you miss the memo?
April 24, 2019
The UK is not independent.
EU Treaty law is supreme.
The ECJ is our supreme court of law.
Please dont deny it.
April 25, 2019
Andy, It seems that I have to remind you every week of Declaration 17 which states that EU law has primacy over UK law. So the UK is not independent. Yet.
April 24, 2019
Andy, judging by the replies here today you have touched a raw nerve. But then the truth always hurts.
Keep up the good work. Although you are a (nearly) lone voice crying in the wilderness your knowledge and solid common sense are much appreciated.
April 24, 2019
Well, that was a good laugh for last thing at night Margaret.
April 24, 2019
Are you denying my post above is correct margaret?
Yes or no?
April 25, 2019
Which one Edward2? There are so many of them.
April 25, 2019
You agreed with Andy’s assertion that the UK is still sovereign saying the truth always hurts.
I told young Andy he is wrong.
April 25, 2019
margaret ‘Although you are a (nearly) lone voice’ to Andy above.
This is just not true at all, I regularly read contributions here from you, newmania, Peter Van Leeuwen, Rien Huizer, Merlin, acorn, Simon and hefner and there are others that pop up regularly just to snipe. I welcome all your comments.
April 25, 2019
It has failed because – THERE IS A REMAINER IN CHARGE!
April 24, 2019
“A fig leaf to give the people an illusion of democracy.”
A very accurate description of Westminster elections.
The European elections use a proportional voting system (the least best, but it is at least proportional) and therefore, unlike Westminster, everyone’s vote counts.
April 24, 2019
Peter Parsons, No matter which you you vote in the EU elections, you cannot prevent the EU oligarchy from taking away your rights. You’ve already lost: the human right of self-determination; the democratic right to elect or reject the current EU government; democratic control of your general rights; democratic control of much taxation; etc; etc. Votes at the EU elections count about as much as votes in the GDR did.
April 25, 2019
My vote in Westminster elections counts as much as a vote in the GDR did.
I experience all the things you refer to from a FPTP system designed to ignore and disenfranchise the majority of UK voters while attempting to maintain the illusion that we all have an equal say.
April 25, 2019
Nick
POPPYCOCK – all of it!
April 24, 2019
Theresa Mayās action on the Chinese using their equipment in the next 5G network has every comment in the DM and Telegraph telling saying she acts on behalf of large corporates and not the country.
This appears like the start of a media campaign against the Conservatives. Ontop of a campaign by Labour, Libs, SNP, Greens, Brexit, Party Chairmen, Party workers and 17.5 million voters
I will be very surprised if the Conservatives win as much as 10% of the vote. My best guess is they will win around 5%. Less than the Greens.
April 24, 2019
Mayās determination to defy our allies with the Huawei deal is really quite worrying. She now appears to be a serious threat to national security as well as sovereignty. She is either doing this deliberately to isolate the UK or she has no idea of the importance of the Five Eyes agreement.
Itās highly unlikely sheāll listen to anyone on this so we can only hope sheās out of Office before she does too much damage on behalf of whoever sheās working for. Very surreal times.
April 24, 2019
May has no idea of the threat posed by China, full stop. In my view, her decision to press ahead with Huawei represents another betrayal of this country. It is hugely significant, and her decision must lead one to question her true loyalties. She does not deserve to hold the position of PM as she is not prepared to defend our country. The Huawei decision is just another example after Brexit of her betrayal, in my view.
April 24, 2019
She really is breathtakingly incompetent, or alarming ignorant of her duties toward the electorate, that is, the whole people of the UK. No wonder some voices are raised about her motives in a number of actions.
April 24, 2019
It’s a pity that Mrs May doesn’t read this blog. I doubt that she would – probably thinking that we ”little people” have nothing of importance to say. Then again – she is probably protected from any criticism by those who are pulling her strings.
April 24, 2019
The Huwei 5G contract sounds just like the Arm Holdings sold off to foreign big business resold to China without any noise from TM and in that case her husband’s business profited by Ā£200m.
Both these cases potentially weaken the country’s technical and security capabilities and unless you have a background in these areas you will not under as May does not.
April 24, 2019
Iām no expert in it myself but working as I do in the upper echelons of Defence, there are some very worried people around today. As I said, surreal that we have a PM almost openly working against the interests of the country. Itās worse than the burnt earth policy in the last days of the Brown government.
April 24, 2019
I was listening to some peer (I forget his name) who argued that we must trust China because they are the world’s second largest economy and that we should’nt take much notice of the US in this matter as we have to become more global in outlook after Brexit.
Well, I think I have news for him when I say that the US is actually the largest economy and a great deal more trustworthy than the Chinese. I wouldn’t trust Huawei’s 5G material with a bargepole.
April 24, 2019
Dave M,
It does look very anti-US at a time when POTUS is looking to do a trade deal, pushing China on intellectual property (Made in China 2025 is scary without sorting IP and equal access), wanting Five Eyes partners to not use Chinese technology, already having Australia agree with US …
April 24, 2019
Or perhaps it’s a reflection of reality-that the USA is a power in relative decline and China is rising-and may shortly rise to pre-eminence.
And China is flexing it’s muscles-we have seen that with Canada and Poland over Huawei;a scorching attack on the USA by the Chinese Ambassador to Chile last week over Venezuela(China is a much bigger trade partner to Chile than the USA);likewise Brazil has been warned off hosting US military adventurism there.Australia(whose growth over the past two decades owes much to Chinese resource demand)last month had it’s coal exports to China cut back sharply (in favour of Russia and Indonesia) over Huawei(again) and comments re”freedom of navigation” in the South China Seas.Etc
As for being an ally;not really,we’re vassals of the US-a forward base so that they can “fight over there,rather than over here”and a tied market for their overpriced equipment-how interesting that the FT reported a few weeks ago that we are becoming a net importer of military equipment for “the first time since the (English) Civil War.Why might that be?
April 24, 2019
Mitchel, We are currently a vassal of the EU, not the USA. You Remains insist that the UK cannot be independent. If that is truly the case then better we should be the democratic “51st state” of the democratic USA, than broken up into a few vassal regions of your rotten EU empire.
April 25, 2019
NickC
“Mitchel, We are currently a vassal of the EU, not the USA”
Well it wasn’t the EU that made us invade Iraq and destroy that country along with many others in the Middle East. And then let the EU countries deal with the ensuing refugee crisis.
Only last week the US Speaker Nancy Pelosi warns there will be no U.S.-U.K. trade deal if Brexit harms the Irish peace accord
Nice friends.
April 24, 2019
We are becoming a net importer of military equipment due to EU procurement rules. http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2018/11/10/be-realistic-about-what-our-armed-forces-can-do/#comment-972342
Veterans for Britain have lots more on this.
April 24, 2019
There is a petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/236992 “Freeze the Ā£1bn RFA ship tender till we leave EU directives, to ensure UK build. A Ā£1-BILLION contract could be lost from the UK because an EU directive forces the UK to accept international competition. Thousands of jobs are at stake.
If Govt departs EU defence directives, it could use the WTO defence exemption to keep the work in the UK just like many other non-EU nations.”
April 24, 2019
There are probably about four people she listens to, all unelected and unaccountable. They aren’t going to let her go.
April 24, 2019
A Prime Minister that is just about to be ousted is a very dangerous person, that is why they usually pack their bags and get escorted out.
They can pass all the unpopular public bills they want and everything can be blamed on them during their retirement, the majority aren’t bothered about their reputations and honour – look at Blair, Brown, Major, even Cameron their book deals will make them (some money ed).
April 24, 2019
Dear javelin–Pity we cannot have negative votes
April 24, 2019
Large corporates or (headline) “Conservative PM gives huge and intel-risky contract to Chinese Communists” – is this the Maynchurian Candidate?
April 24, 2019
Indeed. May gets everything wrong. I see that she is off to the funeral of Lyra McKee following this appalling murder. Did she know her perhaps? I suspect not, but that way she misses PM questions and bigs up the Northern Ireland border issue again in relation Brexit. Jonathan Powell seemed also to be gently doing this too on radio 4 today.
Is may doing this by choice – or are the EU pulling all of her strings now? Please dear just resign now and take your putrid W/A with you – before you do even more damage to the country and party.
April 24, 2019
Lifelogic
“Did she know her perhaps? I suspect not, but that way she misses PM questions”
Or perhaps not seeing that PMQT wasn’t on today. Do keep up.
April 24, 2019
Really??? What did I listen to on radio 5 dead at 12.00 then?
Facts and reality are not your strong suit are they?
April 24, 2019
Will she be going to every murdered personās funeral in the UK? She might be quite busy, given the failure of the police to even attempt to tackle knife or indeed other crimes.
April 24, 2019
The odds have been shortening on the Brexit Party to win most EU seats, 4/7 (64% chance) against 40/1 (2% chance) for the Conservatives. But, what really matters is the vote share between the leavers and the remainers, not the UK seat allocation to Europarl.
Confucius say, what go up like rocket come down like brick. Brexit Party supporters should remember that. BTW, there is no such thing as “democracy” in the Brexit Party, Nigel makes the decisions and appoints the management committee. He is not into supporters voting for things.
April 24, 2019
Youāll find that many of his subscribers (?) only want him to deliver a service in the same way as Rentokil. That is, to remove a stubborn infestation. In this case, Remainers from the levers of power. For TPTB, forcing the EU poll to go ahead could be the biggest political gaffe of all time.
April 24, 2019
The true remain parties are SNP, Sinn Fein, Lib Dem, CHUK and Green at best, though they may not qualify unless they stand on Revoke terms. Con and Lab are fudge parties with no clear Brexit vision. Brexit and UKIP are for proper Brexit.
April 24, 2019
Well the Conservatives under May are clearly remain (but pretend we are leaving). Labour are all things to all people so far.
April 24, 2019
If you don’t like it don’t join. I have paid my Ā£25 and made a further donation on top of that. Or is it that you are worried that we don’t know what we are voting for !!
April 24, 2019
@ acorn
“Nigel” is businessman. Democracy and business do not go together.
April 24, 2019
He was a businessman with a much more lucrative City job.
He gave that up to fight for the UK to leave the EU.
April 24, 2019
Democracy is a system of rule by laws, not by individuals. In a democracy, the rule of law protects the rights of citizens, maintains order, and limits the power of the business owner. So they do go together otherwise you wouldn’t have people stay and work with you.
April 24, 2019
Rien, How would an adherent of EU ideology know anything about democracy? Perhaps that explains the enormous number of corporatist lobbyists in Brussels.
April 25, 2019
Well Trump looks like he will get a second term and the US economy is going well. We could do with far lower taxes, far less red tape and much cheaper energy here too.
April 25, 2019
Yeah! Burn the planet up by burning cheap oil! Yeah! Stuff the future!
April 25, 2019
Burn the planet up….one degree from 1900 in globally measured average temperatures.
And no increase since 1998.
Completely at odds with predictions made for rapid rises after 2000
April 24, 2019
The BBC are doing their best not to mention the Brexit Party.
Anne Widdecombe joins it today but BBC Ceefax does not mention it – only the line-up of the Remain Green Party gets a feature.
BBC in the form of Gary Lineker encourages young people to register. Is he the face of BBC sport or is he a political activist ?
April 24, 2019
Anonymous
“Gary Lineker ‘face of sport or political activist’?”
==
Where does that put Anne Widdecombe?
Politics or Strictly Come Dancing?
April 25, 2019
Anne Widdecombe has been there and done that, including holding ministerial office. At least she knows what she’s talking about which is quite different to you or Linekar!
April 25, 2019
Yup.
Lineker is a bigger fish though.
April 25, 2019
They’d be all over it if Lineker joined a political party as a candidate.
April 24, 2019
Ceefax? Was this not closed in 2012? That might explain why you didnāt get the news about Ann W?
April 25, 2019
Whatever the text news is called these days.
April 24, 2019
Another poor decision by the lady with the reverse Midas touch.
April 25, 2019
Theresa May – the only person to leave DFS with a full priced sofa.
April 24, 2019
I had a ‘newsletter’ arrive in my inbox this morning from a senior backbench MP who always did his very best to assure me he was a Eurosceptic. Judging by his voting record, that was patently untrue. Of the up and coming elections, he says when it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.
I don’t doubt some Conservative councillors do a good job, but many of those same Conservative councillors he is trying to get every one to support are now openly declaring for Nigel Farage and the Brexit party!
And all because the useless Prime Minister this MP so vehemently supports, is about to bring the entire edifice down around the Conservative Party’s ears.
This is one Whitehall farce that was completely avoidable. We should have had a solid trustworthy Brexiteer as leader right from the start, not an underhanded liar. Her religious upbringing should have taught her that her sins would find her out. Or maybe in her mind and to her way of thinking, absolution wipes the slate clean until the next time an untruth emanates from her lips.
April 24, 2019
Tad Davison, It’s not a farce, it’s wanton destruction of our democratic rights. We have a rogue PM and a majority of Tory MPs keeping her in power. And those MPs have turned a deliberate and pompous deaf ear to what they have been told by Tory activists since at least Chequers last July.
April 25, 2019
Indeed.
April 24, 2019
Hinckley C and HS2 continuation at the start of her ignominious tenure were clear signs of things to come.
April 24, 2019
Itās also true what the hell do we put in a manifesto but there again labour would be in the same boat but a lot worse, there problem is that they mislead the people at the last GE saying they would honour the 2016 referendum result but have backtrack on all promises to keep us in , the fact is they know that should they put any hint in a manifesto to stay in the Eu they will be wiped out at the next GE , power to the people again we will have our judgement day and get rid of all the self serving politicians in the end and fill Parliament with true believers in Great Britain
April 24, 2019
We don’t want to be a part of it but the ones with the real power do.
I fear all is lost. You have been exposed as powerless.
April 24, 2019
I see May is trying to inflict maximum damage on the country before she leaves office. Letting Huawei get involved in 5g when she was warned against it.
When did we become a dictatorship
April 24, 2019
Absolutely correct, the more we delay the more we pay, under the May fiasco.
Pathetic, absolutely pathetic.
April 24, 2019
We would not be in this position if the party had disposed of her immediately after the last election. Regardless of her performance as home secretary, that result should have immediately focussed your minds that she was a liability. Instead you decided to explain it all away by pointing out how many people had voted Conservative. After HS2, Hinckley Point the liabilities continue this morning with her deciding to stick with Huawei despite everyone else telling her otherwise. Even if she is removed this afternoon it will take decades to correct the damage this woman has done to the UK.
April 24, 2019
Dame Rita, I very much agree with your cry from the heart.
April 24, 2019
Doesnāt participation actually seal our fate?
It also gives May breathing space..on top of the 2.99999 lying years that is.
She is also fielding arch Remainers to protect the poor EU from any Leave MEP that might slip through the no doubt iffy voting process.
Non participation is illegal if a country is an EU member so we will be de facto ratifying our membership??
All we really need to know is that May is still in position and that military integration is prob in full swing.
And Major called Eurosceptics āb*st*rdsā!!
April 24, 2019
At what point does the governing class across the EU decide to ignore national democratic will and rush headlong into the creation of a new nation dominated by Germany and France? Desperation may incite such a foolish decision. As with May we can see that desperation warps judgement and encourages dangerous action.
I do believe that many pro-EU leaders across Europe now find their nation’s democracies a huge inconvenience. That they also find the right to freedom of speech troublesome as they plan their quest to circumvent domestic opposition to their integration plans
Only a nation’s people can stop these crazed maniacs from destroying the very nations they were elected to protect and serve
The EU referendum did reveal one simple fact. That the Europhile governing class despise the democratic will of the people. This governing class should not believe it can confront the divine will of the people. Let’s not go down that path even if Marxist Merkel decrees it
April 24, 2019
It is nearly 3 years since Britain voted to leave the EU, yet May has decided we should vote in the coming EU elections!
What we are witnessing is May effectively blackmailing the Country to sign up to her traitorous ‘deal’ to keep us shackled to the EU.
This election is an appalling waste of money, but sooner this, than become a vassal state. Better still, respect the referendum result and just leave.
May’s antics are in danger of mirroring the antics of 3rd World countries dictators.
Surely as a 1st World country there must be mechanisms to remove May & Co promptly, before it gets to the stage of also resorting to a military coup.
April 24, 2019
I have just come off Richard North’s blog. He too has missed the Brexit party which is sweeping everything before it at the moment. It claims to have proper professional negotiators “who do deals every week” and it is very popular – as the crowd funding proves.
Nigel Farage speaks to the heart of a lot of people.
If the Conservatives could incorporate him and his views of a hard Brexit and, say, include him in the Cabinet – a much reduced Cabinet incidentally of just a few determined people – they would sweep the board.
Can they though?
April 24, 2019
They should Mike and they should put Farage in charge of Brexit (make him a Lord if that’s the only way to get him in the cabinet) get him to put his ‘money where his big mouth is’ if he thinks he can do better with the EU.
April 24, 2019
Mike Stallard, We voted to leave the EU treaties. And obviously Leave would be meaningless if we promptly rejoined. How hard is that?
April 24, 2019
Mike Stallard
Farage tried repeatedly to get elected into parliament and the voters rejected him every time. They know a phony opportunist when they see one.
April 25, 2019
Oh really. I saw the massive campaign that was mounted against Nigel Farage by the media and big party machinery first-hand down in Margate (I was actually helping a Tory MP at the time). Tell me you did the same, and your glib assertions might carry more credibity!
The pro-EU trash were out to nip this interloper in the bud. Didn’t quite work out for them though did it. If I wasn’t convinced Nigel Farage was sincere, I wouldn’t have parted with my money. Just think, the Green Party could have had my donation. Check out what I just wrote about sincerity and think too about national vote share.
April 25, 2019
When it suits you. They are easily lead when it comes to voting for Brexit according to you.
April 24, 2019
Perfect sense.
April 24, 2019
It will be an interesting test of public opinion on Brexit – a kind of soft referendum without having to have an actual one. Expect a good number of politicians, such as Conservative leadership candidates, to sit on their hands until they see which way the wind is blowing.
April 24, 2019
Agreed
April 24, 2019
Agreed, it has become a useful and very ironic exercise.
April 24, 2019
Lots of political parties and the EU will be claiming to have listened to the electorate’s message following the EU elections.
It will not make on iota of difference to the direction that the EU is travelling.
You are correct Sir John, it is none of our business and we should not be participating.
April 24, 2019
Your party is doomed in all elections with Mrs May as leader and PM. There must be a death wish amongst Conservative MPs as they do nothing and allow her to destroy their party. The allegiance of so many MPs to the EU rather than to the UK is undermining our democracy but that will be welcomed by their masters in Brussels and Berlin.
April 24, 2019
The reports in the news that the 1922 executive is divided are worrying. How can half of them be hung up on fairness when she has broken every rule in the book and it is fairness to the country which should be paramount? As for it making no difference to the arithmetic, pull the other one.
April 24, 2019
Brian Tomkinson, It is difficult to be both incompetent and sinister but our rogue PM has somehow managed it. Yet more than half of Tory MPs apparently still cannot see the damage she has done.
We have gone past despising only Mrs May, we now loathe those keeping her in power. What can they be thinking? Do they not realise it is perfectly possible the Conservative party will get no MEPS at the EU elections?
April 25, 2019
I agree Nick, except that most Tory MPs seem always to have their eyes on advancement and wish to see how a developing situation might affect their careers first. The service of their own interests come well before service to the country or their constituents. We poor plebs keep getting shafted every time.
April 24, 2019
The EU is as daft as a box of frogs building a tower of Babel to unity.
Get out of their election box.
Leave them to destroy their own course of nonsense in babble.
April 24, 2019
Seems to me that compared to our own HoC bear pit they are a picture of sophistication and calm good sense. And their ladies have a dress sense.
April 24, 2019
I often try to understand how people can be so smitten, they fail to see the faults others can plainly see. To describe your cherished EU institution in such glowing terms says much about your sense of reasoning, or lack thereof. You’re about as bad as those still sucking up to Theresa May! You need to stop eating the Lotus fruit.
April 24, 2019
I agree with you. Adamās original post was a model of intelligence and moderation. Tad, why are you defending him? the habit of shutting up opponents, MH in this particular case?
April 24, 2019
Are you Andy’s mum?
April 24, 2019
hahaha I nearly spat my tea out then L Jones.
April 24, 2019
Sir John, you comment on the transfer, or not as the case may be, of money from the rich regions to the poor regions within the EU being problematic.
Starting with the Ā£39 billion sweetener promised by our Prime Minister for nothing very much in return and then add in the other EU organisations, including the military, she is attempting to entangle the UK with, does there exist an overall figure of what our “freedom” from the EU will really cost?
It seems to me that the Prime Minister is quite happy to continue to finance the EU after the UK has, in her words, achieved Brexit. Not that her word can ever be taken at face value.
April 24, 2019
As the regions are potentially bankrupt without the largess of the Barnett Formula payments then I assume it is the English Tax Payer who will be dishing out the Ā£39 + billion, or at least going further into hock for it!
April 24, 2019
Beecee
Bankrupt regions? That’s because all that lovely oil revenue and whisky task go to London?
April 24, 2019
Margaret, and why not when it was British companies that set up bankrupt Scotland with oil and let’s not forget how diminished that revenue is now.
April 24, 2019
The Ā£39 billion is the divorce settlement (it will be payable in Euro). It simply accounts for all the EU commitments/projects the UK signed on to in good faith, during its membership of the EU club. It has no connection with the future relationship the UK might have with the EU. WTO rules forbid any such payments that appear to be a sweetener for a future trade agreement.
The Ā£39 billion is peanuts when compared to the Ā£2,250 billion “created” by the Treasury (magic money tree) to bailout the banks through 2007/11. Some Ā£300 plus billion has yet to be repaid. The Ā£39 billion is circa 1.8% of UK Gross National Income. Not exactly a life changing amount the Brexiteers would have you believe.
Bruegel calculated, assuming the UK had left the EU on 29/03/19, and made no further payments to the EU; and, the EU made no further payments to the UK; that the EU 27, would have to stump up a further ā¬15.7 billion to the EU budget, (0.062% of EU27 GNI). This to cover the 21 months to the end of the current EU seven year budget. I don’t see that causing the ECB, the Euro currency issuer, any problems.
April 24, 2019
The UK should definitely take part in the European elections. The Government will not take the UK out of the EU except in a possible BRINO* form to be agreed with Labour – this ignores a democratic vote to leave and a manifesto prromise. The Govt will not hold a second referendum allowing people to vote for a, so called, ‘no deal’s exit – this avoids a new democratic mandate. The Conservative party maintains Mrs May as PM even though we read that party members want her gone.
The EU election is the only proxy for a democratic vote that the UK has.
April 24, 2019
āOrderly and speedy exitā….. Unfortunately, as you know, that is code for passing the WA or āgetting it over the lineā… No way, and we know you oppose it but the use of the word āorderlyā is highly nuanced in the current political climate.
If we have these European elections, so be it, but we WILL NOT support the WA under any circumstances and that includes the implosion of the Tory party. You (tories) have had your chance and right royally screwed it up.
zorro
April 24, 2019
An orderly exit under WTO terms with GATT Article 24 aiding the negotiation of a free trade agreement is indeed possible.
Our host has said many time we should table our version of a free trade agreement. Under GATT nothing changes on tariffs while this in under way. This also negates the need for the backstop.
How more orderly do you want it? Works for me.
April 24, 2019
Try reading my post – May uses ‘orderly’ in respect of the WA – hence my post. A lot of us have consistently put forward the idea of an A24 type exit or something similar since before the referendum. Any exit which is lawful is orderly in my book. Government and the Civil Service (even if T May won’t admit it) have prepared adequately for the UK to exit the EU without signing any WA. Economic concerns will force the EU to negotiate sensibly with us post exit, something they will have no necessity to do if we agree to the WA.
zorro
April 24, 2019
Mrs May is going to stay in No 10 until she is thrown out and whilst she stays she continues to seriously damage this country. She is devious in the extreme, as shown by the timing of the announcement of the Trump visit, and that SHE would going to France with him in June.
It is very hard to believe how anyone could be so thick skinned and make so many mistakes and break so many clear promises and still stay in office. The excuse up until now has been to retain the integrity of the Conservative party and keep Corbyn at bay, but she has manged to wreck the party and hand Corbyn part of the front line platform.
None of this speaks well of the cabinet who have absolutely no excuse or reason to let her get away with delay after delay and driving us further and further into the mire. They need to think of the country and not their parliamentary salaries and stop being so wet.
We must pull out of the EU elections and get out on 23rd May
April 24, 2019
It is a simple matter of timing. If we are still in the EU at the time of the election we should take part. The only significance for the UK is that it should give the two main parties a painful kicking. It will be our way of answering the 2nd referendum/remain brigade.
Both main parties are out of touch with the electorate so I would hope it is a precursor to what might happen in a General Election. It is pie in the sky to think that either main party will have a Damascene moment before a GE. It will be facinating to read what the main parties put in their manifestos for either a EUor GE. Anyone for snake oil.
April 24, 2019
Off Topic.
As well as the problem of the PM being in place, there is the Chancellor. It would not be good for the current Chancellor to be appointing a replacement for project fear’s Carney.
April 24, 2019
Successive PMs seem to have a talent for appointing very disturbing, ineffective in many ways, Chancellors. As a suggestion, and providing many days of light relief, could we have the Tory MPs voting for nominated Chancellors. Debates each evening, which might be aired on TV, voting and the lowest voted dropping out each evening until a winner emerges?
April 24, 2019
Indeed Carney has been dire, wrong headed and has outrageously politicised the BoE. Banks are also currently getting away with with rip off margins and fees due to a lack of real competition and idiotic regulations. Tax to death Hammond is even worse.
Real Conservatives should be for low taxes, competent economic management, small government, sensibly managed immigration, sound law and order and a real UK based democracy. The complete opposite of the obnoxious May & Hammond agenda.
April 24, 2019
The “populist” parties across Europe are quite different as you say, with economic policies ranging from free-market capitalism to left-wing socialism, but in general the one thing that unites them is Euroscepticism – that covers a range of positions but in general it is opposed to further loss of sovereignty to the EU. The combined hard/soft Brexit vote in the UK EU elections will bolster this grouping and I assume it will want representation when the next set of commissioners are appointed. Liberal globalist open-border Remainers don’t seem to have noticed that the EU is turning – albeit slowly – into an organisation which could one day start imposing some policies which they would hate and which, if we were still in the EU, they could do nothing about. Their assumption that the EU will forever remain a liberal left-wing organisation is incorrect.
April 24, 2019
Roy Grainger, That is true – Remains are oblivious to the fact that the EU can remove their rights, and they cannot do a darn thing about it.
April 24, 2019
European unity under the EU is a facade : a few key players control it through threats and bribes.
Democracy within the EU is a facade: the elected European Parliament had no say in the Article 50 extension and Verhofstadt was publicly humiliated by Tusk for complaining about it.
European equality is a facade while Germany pays the bulk of the money (unlike their NATO) contibution: running has pipelines for Russia whatever the consequences to other countries (veteran’s sheikh their green targets either.
The ability to reform the EU still being spouted by some Europe a politicians is only a nonsense: the parliament is still wasting over 100 million euro every year shuttling between Brussels and Strasbourg.Why? I think we all know the answer but it’s an expensive vanity project.
April 24, 2019
I see Ann Widdecombe has defected to The Brexit Party according to D Express:
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1118055/Ann-Widdecombe-defects-Brexit-Party-Lifelong-Tory-turns-back-on-party
April 24, 2019
So will they waltz into power…or cha-cha-cha?!
April 24, 2019
Mitchell who cares, as long as they do.
April 24, 2019
Mrs May’s actions since taking office should cause concern.
First the review of Hinkley C and then acceptance of all the costly and unfavourable aspects.
The constant problems and continuous rise in cost of HS2. But it rolls on regardless.
The delay in triggering Art 50.
Ignoring the Department for Exiting the EU and the surprise announcement of her own ‘plan’ which is Remain in all but name.
Ignoring the failure of her WA get get approval of Parliament three times.
Not consulting Parliament when signing up to EU defence and security.
Ignoring Cabinet and Five Eye countries re the involvement of Huawei in 5G.
Ignoring the fact that the Conservative Party is facing near annihilation in forthcoming EU elections which of course we should not be taking part in.
People looking on from outside the UK would be forgiven for thinking we live in a dictatorship, and they must wonder why the alleged dictator has not been removed.
April 24, 2019
So Mrs May is going to avoid PMQs by attending the funeral of the journalist killed by terrorists in Northern Ireland. Perhaps you could remind me whether she attended the funeral of Lee Rigby or any of those killed in Manchester or London? or was there no PMQs on those days.
April 24, 2019
At least she is for once standing up to those who advocate violence in Ireland, who seem to have been showing off to a film crew by one account, and who seem to being held up as the bogeymen who justify the backstop by the EU and Varadkar.
April 24, 2019
Would she have gone had they killed their real target a police officer I wonder?
“Why in God’s name does it take the death of a 29-year-old woman with her whole life in front of her to get to this point?” asks the priest at the funeral.
A belief in God and absurd irrational belief systems perhaps?
April 25, 2019
Might her visit have been a cynical ploy of some kind though?
Whenever May does anything, I tend to look for an ulterior and usually pro-EU motive. Seeming to stand up to murderous Irish nationalists is one thing, but using this as a way to manipulate the backstop to her political advantage is not beneath her. Beware mock righteousness, especially where May is concerned.
April 24, 2019
Well said.
April 24, 2019
Whose bright idea was it to accept the party list system of EU voting?
I may be a bit old fashioned but I want to vote for people not for parties. I am a member of a political party but there are people within it who I would find it very difficult to vote for. Even if I do end up voting for them, I do like the possibility, and should I feel so inclined, of being able to write an indignant letter to them saying that I wonāt ever vote for them again.
All Iād get back under this system is a standard letter saying āThank you but you never voted for me in the first place. You voted for the partyā.
Itās really not good enough. Just another reason for wanting out of the EU!
April 24, 2019
The answer to your question is British politicians.
There was a mandate for EU elections to be proportional, but the choice of electoral system was taken entirely in Westminster.
Northern Ireland uses STV, where you do vote for people, not parties
The rest of the UK uses Closed List PR. Why do the parties like Closed List PR? One might suggest that, as it is the only one of the three forms of PR where the parties control the list order of candidates, there is a certain party self-interest in the decision.
Under STV and Open List PR the electorate get to choose the list order by voting for individual, and either would be preferable to what we have for all elections.
April 24, 2019
Are you sane? You want to vote for a person not a party! REALLY? How would that work in terms of forming a government? 650 people elected because people in their constituencies like the cut of their gib! Who would be PM? Who would be in the cabinet? Who would propose laws.
No, sorry, first past the post at least creates a government.
Most people vote for a party – not the person who happens to be their local MP. But first past the post also means that more than half the people in safe seats don’t need to bother voting. Let’s face it – a donkey wearing a blue rosette would get elected in Wokingham – and many other constituencies. Someone who supports Labour or any other party – who lives in Wokingham – might as well not bother voting.
We NEED some form of Proportional Representation to get more people engaged with how our country is run. And, what we really need is Citizen Assemblies to take the big decisions out of the hands of politicians who are whipped to do what they are told.
April 24, 2019
AV combines FPTP and PR.
A constituency elects its own MP but that MP is elected by getting more than 50% of the votes through a transferable vote system.
It also enables voters to cast their votes for whom they really want to represent them and not for the least worst option.
It also prevents the election of a candidate who does not represent the views of a majority of the electorate as can happen when votes are split between two parties with similar policies.
April 25, 2019
AV is not a form of PR. It is a preferential system, but is not proportional.
There are only 3 forms of PR – Single Transferable Vote (used in Ireland, Scottish local elections and Malta), Open List PR (used widely in Scandanavia) and Closed List PR (the form used for the EU elections in England, Scotland and Wales.
April 25, 2019
Those are the 3 main ones but there are other forms of PR
Just had a quick search on the internet and there seems to be fans of PR promoting about 10 versions of PR.
Maybe we could have a referendum on which one we like.
April 26, 2019
A referendum on introducing PR. Yes please.
There are not 10 different versions of PR, there are the 3 I listed. If you think there are 10, perhaps you could list them.
April 26, 2019
Presumably your referendum on PR would be carried out using a form of PR?
Then would there be a merging of the two most popular ones?
Creating a completely new version.
PS Search the internet yourself Peter
I just put in “different forms of PR”
April 26, 2019
I’ve done as you suggested and been presented with a multitude of information on Public Relations, but nothing on voting systems.
However, a quick look at the Electoral Reform Society’s website, or indeed “Proportional Representation” on Wikipedia will confirm my previous statement as correct.
April 24, 2019
Sir John I have been struck dumb at Patrick Minfords assertion that on the WA āthere are two opinions emerging – the lawyers view (wehich asserts that we are agreeing to servitude) and the rational view (which means we can renegotiate).
Would anyone buy a house without confirming the transfer was legal?
The ārationalā view rejects the rule of law!
Please do everything necessary to rid us of this PM and her madness which seems to be contagious!
April 24, 2019
I assume the reason why sensible people such as Michael Gove are supporting the WA is they think in practice it can either be re-negotiated or set aside. It seems optimistic to me but what do I know. I take a simpler view – read the words, and if the words make for a bad agreement donāt vote for it.
April 24, 2019
Renegotiated. Because the government has shown itself so adept at renegotiating anything with the EU to date?
April 24, 2019
Have you read the WA?? Please quote the provision which allows exiting this legal treaty….
zorro
April 25, 2019
I agree but Gove is not sensible he knifed Boris so we suffer under the appalling May. He now wants to abolish private schools and is bonkers on greencrap and ārenewableā energy. He is an English graduate and seems to be largely lacking and science, logic, understanding of economics and numeracy.
Anyone who was one of the 200 who had confidence in May or voted for the putrid WA is surely not to be trusted.
April 24, 2019
But this is the EU – They don’t discuss things openly and honestly – there is no blame for any EU elite, that’s one reason they have so many presidents, all with sloping shoulders.
If they were to be honest about anything they would change direction, in some small way, but we know the EU is driven by it’s own dogma, which tell it the only solution, whatever the problem, is more centralisation and more EU regulations – they are incapable of seeing things any other way.
It is encouraging to think that some slightly right of centre and perhaps even some real right of centre groups will make it into the EUP – that will be good… but the EU elite won’t let that change anything – they have ways to handle opposition to their rule.
April 24, 2019
Stuttering and hesitant May is a hollow PM and indecisive unless she sees things at 100% certainty and would be a nervous wreck in business where you often have no alternative but rely upon your gut instincts. After 3 years of false dawns she is a target of fun and ridicule.
Mid term elections would have sorted her out.
Get 3 year MOT would be “Failed” followed by a litany of errors, too many Serious Errors fatal in fact.
Continuing to defy gravity and the people is the big no-no.
April 25, 2019
Water off a duck’s back where May is concerned. She got the nickname ‘robot’ because humiliation has just about the same effect upon her as an electro-mechanical contrivance. Why doesn’t somebody just take her battery out or switch the bloody thing off?
April 24, 2019
As for the UK government delaying our exit …. The only feasible solution is to change PM’s.
If we can leave cleanly, that will act as a catalyst for change in the EU, and can only help Europe – It could end up being our greatest contribution to this much despised and misguided project to date.
April 24, 2019
Sir John, You rightly draw attention to the German vision of an economic Europe and the southern European vision. These are clearly at variance. Can they be reconciled ? I very much doubt it. The implications of this for the European Union and most particularly for the Euro are profound and very possibly seismic.
April 24, 2019
@ Jacey
The southerners will adjust, they have no choice. Leaving is far too expensive. Especially for EUR members. The Greeks have been a wonderful example.
April 25, 2019
Have a listen to the former Greek Finance minister, then tell us the EU is such a fantastic place for the Greeks!
April 24, 2019
Hasn’t it been a wonderful tonic to have Parliament in recess for Easter and not to have to see smug self serving MP’s spouting their various nonsenses over the air waves for a while. Can we not have a bit longer please – say until 31st. October?
April 24, 2019
It has always been very clear. The EU does not want our English ideas, they want our British money. Why can’t we just leave and save it?
April 24, 2019
Mr Redwood,
Of course the Uk should not be joining elections for soething it is not a member of. But the reality is that the UK is still a member and hence, by law, is obliged to organize EU elections, unless it ceases to be a member before a certain date. As things are, UK citizens have a right to vote for the EU Parliament. Whether that is desirable from your point of view (and no doubt that of millions of other UK citizens) is irrelevant. Populist parties (I do not count Lega among the populists, it is an established party with good membership and a long history of participating in local government). Parties that do not want to govern (as part of coalitions that is) for fear of alienating their “against” and “angry” base are truly populist as well as parties that are clearly undemocratic and against the rule of law (whatever that may mean). Applying that criterion, I do not see that many populists joining Le Pen, Wilders etc. Incidentally, the latter’s polling appears to be collapsing, in favour of the much more mainstream (apart from its exotic leader, Baudet) Forum voor Democratie. A party many UK-style conservatives would vote for. You would not call the Tories “populist”.
April 24, 2019
I see many of out sillier politicians (Gove, Ed (Tombstone) Milliband, J Corbyn, Caroline Lucas are enthralled by Greta Thunberg).
“Listen to the scientist” Greta says – what does she know about the science? She even came from indirectly Sweden by train when flying economy would almost certainly have been rather more environmental and quicker too).
Most sensible scientists (who are not on in search of government research funding) actually think the issue is a massive exaggeration. Milliband even pushed through his moronic and hugely damaging Climate Change Act with only a handful of sensible MP’s not voting for it.
Not much understanding of science by the above MPs English, PPE graduates and an academic failure.
Corbyn’s brighter brother on the other hand is sound on the issue. As is Ann Widdecome one of the few who sensibly voted against the Climate Chance Act and is now standing for the Brexit Party.
April 24, 2019
I agree we should not be holding these EU elections, but they will sweep away the ramshackle layer of nonsense remainers have built up, that we have changed our minds and the majority are happy to live in the EU.
I see too the unfortunate decision to support Huawei, here they have an autocratic communist party master which should be reason to doubt them. Do their chips have hidden back doors? I have heard security “experts” tell us they do not, I work as a chip designer and could only make that assertion after years studying the chips under an electron microscope or a few months with the RTL code…
I do wonder if Theresa is doing everything she can to preemptively spoil any future relationship with the USA, since that encourages reliance on the EU.
The leadership of the conservative party know what they need to do to end these EU elections, a new PM and a nice orderly WTO exit, I expect they’ll miss their opportunity to kill off the brexit party by cancelling those elections.
April 24, 2019
On a slightly wider question. Why do we need a EU Parliament anyway? Iām all for free trade and having harmonious relations with our European neighbours. Iām happy to holiday there and they are more than welcome to visit here. Thatās not a problem. But we donāt need all an extra level of political bureaucracy to sell them Jet engines or Scotch whisky and buy German cars etc from them.
Having an EU Parliament creates all kinds of problems. A relatively minor one is coming up with the clocks. If we want to move our clocks why shouldnāt we? Yes there are arguments either way. We can have that discussion ourselves. Weāve ended up with less autonomy than an Australian State. For instance, no one in the rest of Australia likes the inconvenience of Adelaide having their clocks a half hour different from Melbourne. Brisbane doesnāt move its clocks at all. Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide do have Winter and Summer times. However, itās considered a Stateās choice to set the clocks as they choose.
So if the EU can interfere in this and and claim a majority decision for it in their Parliament, what else will they be interfering with in future?
April 24, 2019
JR
” when we are meant to be on the way out”
It doesn’t look as if we are going to be hence the election preparations.
April 24, 2019
How good we Brexit voters are. No illegal blockades like the Climate campaigners even though they are getting their way in most things.
April 24, 2019
Doesn’t this proposed MEP election just demonstrate how little power and decision making MEPs have anyway, if they did have power and could get into voting blocks to make a difference to the EU the UK would not be allowed to elect any would they! The EU certainly wouldn’t allow so-called Independence people like Farage near any serious seat of power – he just walked away and I’m suspicious of what he could ever achieve. Actually when you think about it Labour is the only MEP choice that actually gives you membership of a powerful group of socialists they would readily sell the UK free market hopes down the river.
It is said the real power positions in the EU are the Heads of each State, with each tiny Head having the same vote as a major player (supposedly) just look how ‘BIG’ Vardakar is and Muscat and none paying members get the same vote as fully paying members, this is why Nicola wants her Headship. Cameron vetoed Junker and other EU decisions but his vote counted for nought. I actually like Juncker he gets his way, gets away with lots, is strong and stable and fights for what he believes in, compare him to our MEPs.
April 24, 2019
One thing is for sure. The only way to leave in advance of the Europarl election is to do so with no deal in place, since if Parliament were to agree to some deal it would need to go before Europarl for approval before the ratification vote in the European Council, as specified in Article 50 (2). Europarl held its final sitting on 18th April, and does not meet again until July 2nd when the new MEPs will sit for the first time. If we cancel the election, we are thrown out with no deal on June 1st. If Parliament approves the WA, then the article 50 process means the earliest we could leave is August 1st – and the election must have been held.
April 24, 2019
Mrs. Mayās wish for the UK to not take part in the EU MEP elections is only because it is her preference that we sign her surrender WA so that we are ruled by Brussels but without representation or a lawful means of exit.
April 24, 2019
Why? We are NOT leaving the EU. We should, therefore, take part in the elections. And we need to return as many Brexit Party MEPs as possible. One can but hope that other countries also return a large number of MEPS that, at least, want serious reform.
April 24, 2019
@ Mike Wilson
Reform is fine and needed. Vandalism is not.
April 24, 2019
Rein, well if you consider the EU’s effectiveness in vandalising sovereignty of member states it isn’t difficult to see why it’s victims want to see it destroyed.
April 25, 2019
@ Steve
And which countries’ sovereignty is the EU destroying? Countries that want to leave are free to do so (Art 50..).
April 24, 2019
Does the European Parliament actually have the constitutional power to reform the EU, Mike? Anyone?
April 24, 2019
Following the EU elections there will be in the summer a new Commission chosen by the Parliament and Council to reflect the new balance between the political groups, with a repartition of the posts according to their individual weights.
April 24, 2019
SM
No, basically. the EU Parliament used to be the power house, but that has shifted to the French led European Commission.
April 24, 2019
John,
Why dont you stand as Brexit party MEP candidate, your views are surely closer to theirs than the shadow of the Conservative party headed by Mrs May?
Reply Two reasons. 1 I want to leave now, not get dragged into the EU Parliament. 2. I have a job as a Conservative MPs which I intend to carry on doing.
April 24, 2019
The Conservative party will disappear if it does not radically change and quickly.
You may as well become a Brexit party MP.
April 24, 2019
Can the Tories please expose Marxist Labour’s plan to politicise 16-25 year old children using the veneer of climate change activism?
McDonnell is using so called issues that ‘concern’ young people to indoctrinate them with the aim of getting into government and reducing the voting age
This Labour party is an existential threat and May’s decision to co-opt them in the Commons to circumvent Brexit is without question the most dangerous political decision we have ever seen
April 24, 2019
We are told jihadi brides should be returned because they were young and easily influenced at 16.
April 24, 2019
Please answer me this.
How can a politically dead prime minister be allowed to let HUAWEI anywhere near our future 5G communications network. Apparently she has allowed them to get involved on the edges without the consent of Parliament.
Question how deep are those edges. Personally I would not allow the Chinese anywhere near such a fundamental tool in our armoury. What do you think.
April 24, 2019
the writing was on the wall when some senior civil servants were allowed to retire and go work for HUAWEI, obviously as a way of gaining influence and access to thought processes
China needs to be seen as an aggressor nation, and not treated like an equal member of the free world
April 25, 2019
How many nations has China invaded?How many regimes as she changed?How many coups fomented?How many countries has she bombed?
China was the world’s biggest power/economy until just after the Napoleonic Wars.Try reading it’s long history rather than regurgitate half remembered cold war propaganda.I’m reasonably relaxed about China’s rise
April 24, 2019
Sir John, we have news articles today from Mayās Allies no doubt stating that attempts to get her to step down are unjust and that whoever replaces her will have just as much trouble in leaving the EU as she clearly has. Do these people have no knowledge of the anger in this country, do they have no understanding of Theresa Mayās contempt for the UK that she will now try for the fourth time to ram home this horrendous agreement that would tie us to the EU in perpetuity. If so, the sooner they are voted out of office the better, they are not fit to serve the electorate.
April 24, 2019
” Each have their own populist movements with a range of views.”
Or, as we might otherwise put it: they have parties that break with the pan-European, Hobson’s Choice, centre-left monopoly political stitch-up, parties that are led by people who have made a living outside politics, do not take high taxation for granted, and actually express the opinions and wishes of the majority of voters.
And yes, Sir John, I realize you are one of those – unfortunately you have chosen to remain in a party that is an integral part of the centre-left stitch-up. And since Major, even the ‘centre’ bit of the apellation has been removed.
April 24, 2019
‘appellation’
April 24, 2019
Mancunius,
The Left leaning / non-innovative centre, London centric, pro-EU, anti-USA focus can continue under first past the post. It remains a democratic tragedy that the Coalition govt only offered an AV referendum on 2011. Was this Mr Osborne’s doing? I obviously the UK needs to grow up democratically, or if will continue to fall behind in this aspect alongside others?
1) referendum on ending current electoral system, second round choosing alternative (2 vote MPP is my preference)
2) consideration of need, role, make up of second chamber
3) consideration of need for, powering and behaviour of Speaker in HoC
4) consideration of cleaner (USA) like separation of executive and legislature
5) consideration of English parliament and equality between devolved administrations
Without (1) above it is difficult for effective MPs with integrity to leave dysfunctional parties and maintain a future.
April 25, 2019
@ Mancunius
Define “left”.
April 24, 2019
From the Evening Standard 2 hours agoā¤µļø
‘Rivals for the leadership are trying to delay any contest to buy time to reduce Mr Johnsonās early lead’.
What chance do we stand Sir John when our leaders are so ambitious? Sad!
April 24, 2019
Ms Thornberry MP Front Bench spokesman for the Labour of Loathe says “The Trump visit is a giant waste of tax-payers money” Yawn.
How long do the British people have to tolerate the pretend Socialists in our Parliament?
So Labour weeps about divisions in Ireland and objects to someone with a Scottish mother, a Jewish daughter and son-in-law, a present wife who was born in Slovenia, an ex-wife who was Czech, with best long-time friends of Jessie Jackson and Oma Winfrey, because “he is racist” .
Never mind his country’s troops were were over here in the War. Never mind they are our closest ally. Never mind major Labour politicians were educated in the USA and their children, all of whom spout anti-Americanism. Never mind the favourite destination for Labour MPs and their families is US Disney Land and the people who prefer American fast food takeaways than good old British fish and chips.
My word Labour is a pain. Why should they be humoured by Mr Speaker who spouts the same spout although dressed up in flowery legalese of laws dating back to the time they burnt witches and women were expected to breed like rabbits.
When Parliament moves house so it can be decorated, why bring any Labour MPs back? What a giant waste of tax-payers money!
And they encourage road blocking by young people they politically groom before they have overcome puberty.
They are a mucky shower!
April 24, 2019
What happens to these break off groups.?Does it not concern the many that all seem to be quietend by some unseen power? Repetition from commenters bores me but it’s your diary and for newcomers you need to reinforce your views. Nothing really new is being said with the exception of childish pompous in diary competition.
April 24, 2019
While we should be getting ready for an orderly and speedy exit instead we are getting ready for elections, article 15&17 and the EU’s latest piece of labelling idiocy.
I refer to the food labelling restrictions on vegetarian foods, removing their right to use certain words. You may now eat hamburgers, chickenburgers, fishburgers, but not beanburgers. In the same way, you may eat chicken steak, gammon steak and beef steak, but not tofu steak. The rules originiate in France, either due to lobbying, or a linguistic issue presuming ‘burger’ refers to a specific type of meat and not, as common english use has it, a grilled patty of the prefixed food (OED).
I’m not a vegetarian, by any means, but is this type of triviality seriously what our Ā£39bn is paying for?
April 24, 2019
It simply represents “control”, Al. Doesn’t matter what it concerns, it just shows who is in charge devising the rules.
Also do not forget that the function of a bureaucratic empire such as the EU is not to solve problems, but instead to have meetings to find new problems stemming from the original problem, which in turn require more manpower to investigate and more meetings, and, guess what, further committees and meetings to investigate yet more new problems/issues discovered. Never ending, but it does create jobs even though everything else is stifled by the stranglehold of bureaucracy.
April 25, 2019
Fully agree Chris…
But it’s not just the EU that “empire builds” include the whole of the UK civil service, local councils and don’t forget the BBC.
April 24, 2019
I read that Ann Widdecombe has now been expelled from the Cons Party. Also, the 1922 Committee has decided not to change the leadership rules, but Sir Graham has reminded MPs that they can always write to him to let him know their concerns on the PM. He has also suggested that there should be some indication of a timetable of departure from May. The response by one commenter to this was to post a photo of them leaving Downing Street, with the caption that the MPs had just attended the funeral of the Cons Party. About right, I would say.
April 24, 2019
I see the 1922 committee has come out against a rule change, despite the fact that the PM is leading the CUP towards oblivion and is, demonstrably, a liar and a security risk (Huawei). What does it take to get Tory MPs to act; the loss of a 1000 or so in the elections next week and a wipe-out in the EU elections, or are you waiting for the associations to do it for you by one means or another, preferably by disassociating from CCHQ? Anne Widdecombe was my local MP, and a fine representative she was. Fifty five years a Conservative and has now lest to join the Brexit Party. Sir John, this could go further than re-energising the Brexit debate, you could be looking at an existential challenge so far as the future of the CUP is concerned.
April 24, 2019
It would appear that May is prepared to sacrifice the Cons Party for the globalist political cabal who are intent on implementing their One World Government agenda, of which the EU is an integral part. The “Cons” Party will not in fact be mourned as it stopped being a true Conservative party when it adopted the left liberal “progressive” agenda. The sooner it is gone, and replaced with a Party representing the grassroots, the better.
April 24, 2019
I see the 1922 committee has decided to leave May in place until such time as she decides to leave (ie. never) or until the end of the year when a vote of no confidence can be called. One wonders at the strategy here – maximising the Farage vote in the EU elections for what purpose exactly ? Just because they don’t much like Boris ? Just curious, I won’t be voting for the Conservatives either way.
April 25, 2019
@ Roy Grainger
‘ I wonāt be voting for the Conservatives either way.” Then why bother? Whether the like Boris or not is irrelevant. The point is is he a fit person for the meore serious task of government. His performance in his last government job was hardly confidence inspiring. No idea why the English elderly like him as a future PM. Much better candidates around.
April 24, 2019
Christopher Hope (D Tel) tweet on 1922 meeting is enlightening:
Christopher Hopeāļ²Verified accountļ @christopherhope Ā· 5m5 minutes ago
“Members of the 1922 executive voted tonight nine to seven on a show of hands not to allow a vote of no confidence in Theresa May next month, @SebastianEPayne reports.
And – guess what – Julian Smith, the Government chief whip, was in the room for the meeting.
Incredible”.
April 24, 2019
Earlier today the 1922 committee couldn’t make their minds up whether or not to change the rules to help remove a PM who heads a government that cannot decide how to deliver the brexit we voted for.
Unbelievable !
Now sturgeon is threatening another shot at independence. Obviously, the woman feels she hasn’t had enough attention lately.
Well I say to her; ok, you can have your independence from the nasty tory English, but there remains border issue between Scotland and England……Oh boy are we going to have fun with that one ! Payback time.
April 24, 2019
It seems the 1922 Co0mmittee, by deciding to leave the leadership rules unaltered so as to lower the risk of a pro-Brexit PM, have decided to nail down the coffin lid on the Tory Party, to ensure that its demise will be certain and its extinction complete.
R.I.P.
April 24, 2019
Well, Iād say thatās it Sir John. The party youāve dedicated your life to is buggered.
April 24, 2019
Never mind the EUās MEP elections, what about the local elections taking place on May 2nd?
The largely remain Conservative MPs are ignoring both their membership and the referendum result, as seen by the news today that the 1922 committee are keeping Mrs. May in place as PM
So it is now imperative that all leavers in the coming local elections do not vote for any remain party (Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem, SNP, CHUK, SNP etc.) candidates but either for Brexit supporting party candidates or, if none available on the ballot paper, for an independent.
The remain Conservative MPs need to receive a very big shock on May 2nd in order for them to stop taking their membership and electorate for granted
April 24, 2019
Bye, bye Conservatives. Silly 1922’s
April 24, 2019
We need rid of May now. Her performance at the very least has been abysmal and, at worst, is that of someone doing the bidding of the EU against her own people.
April 24, 2019
Indeed we should not be participating in the EU elections, except that Mrs May is on a mission to subjugate us to the EU and generally act against British interests such as her decision to allow Huawei to provide comms equipment.
Out of self-preservation, one would expect Conservative MPs to remove Mrs May. Instead, the 1922 committee has chosen inaction, and to await thr wrath of the electorate on 22 May. Bizarre.
April 25, 2019
Once Brexit has actually been achieved, our relations with the EU become part of our foreign policy. Do we want European Union to succeed? I don’t think we do. If it is not possible for us to disrupt European unity, we should certainly not lift a finger to help it.
April 25, 2019
Sir John,
The ā¬U Commission have repeatedly stated that there will be NO further renegotiation in regard to the Withdrawal Agreement.
MPs have voted to remove our best bargaining chip – that of a no-deal exit – from the table. They have also rejected a 2nd referendum (although it seems that may be back on the cards again….. in which case one must ask why a no-deal exit isn’t also back in-play?).
The reason for May’s delays is in order to (eventually) get her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament.
With each successive Meaningless Vote, the numbers opposing it have diminished. The Oct.31 extension allows more time for further versions of Project Fear to ‘work’ on those MPs that are wavering, and for Meaningless Votes V.4,5,6,7,8 to ensure that at some point her WA IS passed, if even by only one vote – at which point she will declare it a ‘resounding success’.
She is waging a war of attrition against the ‘noes’.
I would be very pleased if you were to climb atop that symbolic ‘Yeltsin Tank’ parked on College Green and wrest control from this bl00dy (no need for the ‘difficult’) woman.
She needs to go, ASAFP, before she signs anything else and does any further damage.
April 25, 2019
This is very mendacious. A speedy exit by which you mean No Deal can not possibly be orderly and vice versa. To pretend you support the idea of both is ridiculous.
April 26, 2019
The Withdrawal Agreement creates a delay of leaving of over 2 more years maybe even longer.
April 26, 2019
I didn’t vote in the Referendum. I knew we Brexiteers would win the vote, but it came to pass we lost the enactment as MPs had a disproportionate Block Vote.
The Brexiteer MEPs won the vote but did not have the power to enact the Referendum vote.
If 100% of the Electorate vote for Eurosceptic MEPs, the end is the same. We Remain in the EU