Norman Tebbit
Lord Tebbit of Chingford is one of Britain's most outspoken conservative commentators and politicians. He was a senior cabinet minister in Margaret Thatcher's government and is a former Chairman of the Conservative Party. He has also worked in journalism, publishing, advertising and was a pilot in the RAF and British Overseas Airways.
Euro-imperialists are on the march again,
and the LibCon Coalition does nothing to resist them
By Norman Tebbit Politics Last updated: July 22nd, 2010
I hope that the report in The Sunday Telegraph of July 18 by Melissa Kite under the headline “Cameron tried to stop election of Eurosceptic” was mistaken. It is not just that in the election in question, that of the chairman of the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee, the Eurosceptic in question was Bill Cash, who was undoubtedly the right man for the job of giving sceptical consideration to the tidal waves of EU instruments heading across the Channel from Brussels.
The ST deputy political editor reported that not only were several Tory MPs asked by Foreign Secretary Hague to stand against Bill Cash, but that Mr Cameron tried to change the rules to allow ministers to vote in the election. Forget for the moment whether Mr Cameron was, or was not, right to want to exclude Bill Cash from the post. The even more worrying aspect of the affair would be that, if true, it suggests that Mr Cameron had failed to learn the lesson of his earlier ill-judged attempt to foist his candidates on to the 1922 Committee.
Baroness Ashton wants an 'integrated platform' to protect European interests (Photo: JEFF GILBERT)
Again, I hope that the report is mistaken, but I would have been comforted had I seen it comprehensively denied by No 10. The Euro-imperialists are not just on the march again, they are racing full tilt towards their next objectives of political, economic, fiscal and legal power centralised in Brussels, and the LibCon Coalition seems to be unsure whether or not to resist them.
As Mr Barosso recently exalted: “Far from being a high water mark in the construction of Europe, the Lisbon Treaty – like past treaties – is proving to be just the latest staging point in a ever closer union.”
Nor is not just that the LibCon Coalition pledge to exempt only the NHS and overseas aid for expenditure cuts is ignored, if not laughed at, by the Brussels government, as it inflates the salaries, expenses and pensions of its staff (hundreds of whom are already paid more than the Prime Minister). Baroness Ashton has declared: “Europe needs the External Action Service to build a stronger foreign policy. We need an integrated platform to project European values and interests around the world.” Sadly, the LibCon coalition does not dispute that. As a result, the EU has taken a great stride to becoming a state and replacing the governments of the member states.
The Commission has now proposed regulations which would seem to ban the sale of, not just eggs, but all foodstuffs by, numbers. Wait until news of that gets through to stallholders in our street markets selling kiwi fruit, nectarines or peaches! The European Parliament claims the right to regulate bus services in our country. In an altogether more serious assault on our rights and freedoms the Commission wants to impose its European Investigative Order. This would give foreign EU authorities instruction to our police forces and for foreign police to operate within this country.
When David Davis asked the Leader of The House what was the Government’s attitude to this, Sir George Young was unable to say. I would have thought that even in this LibDem dominated coalition any minister would have been able to answer that with a pithy phrase. As some of those who post comments on this Blog would however ask; What can be done to save the right of the British people to govern themselves? Before long it will be too late. Already the freeborn British can be arrested and extradited to foreign jurisdictions in Europe without any reasonable protection. How long before opposition to the Euro state becomes treason?
First of all, those who believe in our right to self-government should join whichever party they would normally support and campaign within it. Second, they should badger in all reasonable ways their members of Parliament and the European Parliament. That, of course, would include making it plain that they would regard the European issue as one of supreme importance in deciding how to vote at the next election. Fourth, they should support Eurosceptic groups, think tanks and the like.
If there is, at some time, to be a referendum on any EU matter it is essential that it should be won. That means supporting those organisations which will organise the campaign. We cannot leave it to others to fight for our freedom.
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There was some pretty fierce cross fire amongst contributors on this site in the last few days and a lot of interesting points made, as well as some really laughable ones. Steve 24’s claim that the NuLab policy of unlimited, uncounted, uncontrolled immigration was not about votes but all in the national interest was particularly hilarious. The collapse of the Labour vote at the last election suggests that very many traditional Labour voters disagreed with him. It was fortsumter who pointed out that when NuLab scored 10.7 million votes and the Tories 8.4 million in 2005, Mr Blair got a majority of 166, but at the recent election, when the Tories polled 10.7 million and Labour 8.6million, the Tories finished 20 short of a majority. And NuLab claims that a boundary review would be “gerrymandering”!
Although freewales was able to disagree about the Prince of Wales both as a republican and a AGW believer, I had some support on both grounds, but the Queen even more, with baeeda summing it with the cry “May the queen outlive her heir.”
On population I should tell mmmmmccixiii that I was refering to world popuation. How much should it be reduced, he asked. Well, it is more about how. War, famine, plagues or something less horrid. On that elcazador and frankie pointed a finger at the Pope. In his defence I think that he is not against birth control, but he is against contraception and abortion. So far as this country is concerned, I think 50million would be more comfortable than the projected 70 million.
I think hagar, alharis, noeu,docholliday, acrossthepond, alison fi, downwind, Laveen Ladharam and others were broadly supportive of my main theme, as was suboptimal planet who referred to me as being “in authority”. Alas, I am not! But I should say to him, there are a number of good men and women in the Commons and Lords, including some on the Labour side. I agree with those who put at least some of the blame for our society’s behavioural problems on the media, especially TV. As owdal80 wrote, children are likely to assume that the behaviour they see on screen, not least in soaps, is the norm unless they receive very positive guidance otherwise.
Like alhamilton I have some doubts about expecting the state to “steer society in the right direction” as babajee suggested. What has been missing is guidance from the Churches or some other moral champions.
Rapscallion was right to say that our constitution is written, but written all over the place including in many legal decisions. And I liked his list of Labour achievements too. I can assure bluenote that I while I am intolerant of what should not be tolerated, I am not a bigot, but like matthewruperthodges I believe socialism has eroded self responsibility.
It is a bit worrying that I both agree and disagree so much with darkseid and I am appalled that Alfred of Albion has been getting deleted. Courage! Alfred the Great of England had that trouble for a while too.
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