The LibDems stood on a manifesto commitment to hold an In/Out EU referendum. They were so keen on the idea that they set up a petitioncampaign website:
You can still sign…
The coverage from Libya is obviously eclipsing Westminster, but the In/Out fight is developing. This whole thing is an unnecessary mess for No.10. For better or worse they would have won a free vote with the help of Labour, and time is running out for a wrecking amendment. The weekly Tory whip email says that the three-line is on and No. 10 have said they will sack any PPS who rebels against it. There is talk of an organised resignation pact between the Parliamentary Private Secretaries, but having texted a couple of the more likely candidates, they suggest that they will wait to see what the Prime Minister has to say on Monday. So far only Stewart Jackson, PPS to Owen Paterson, has broken cover:
“Some things are more important than party preferment. The bond of trust with my constituents, the views of people who have had no say on our European policy in any substantive sense for 31 years and I think I owe it to them to give them that say.”
He says he would be disappointed to lose the job. As Guido mentioned earlier, we could even see Ministerial resignations with Nick Herbert’s name being mentioned more than once. It’s worth remembering Willets and Alan Duncan were Maastrict agitators too.
Looking even higher up the ladder, there is open discussion of just what Iain Duncan Smith is going to do. Just two weeks ago he was writing about what a hindrance the EU is to his beloved brief…
AFP have this:
Turns out he wasn’t in Venezuela after all…
Guido has been trying to get hold of the Bob Russell this morning, but it seems that his office don’t like answering the phone. The LibDem has replaced the disgraced Mike Hancock on the Defence Select Committee. Russell is MP for Colchester, a garrison town; and he was a member of the LibDem“Shadow” defence team from 2005 until 2010 , so seemingly fits the role. He’s also Hancock’s flatmate…
Russell potentially had as much access to defence documents as Mike Hancock did, crucially whilst the Handy-cock’s affair was going on. Given the circumstances, perhaps Bob Russell could answer a few questions:
- Did he know about Hancock’s affair?
- Did he ever meet Zatuliveter at the flat he shares with Hancock?
- Did she ever stay there?
- Did he ever leave defence related documents at the flat?
- Did he ever leave his laptop or Blackberry at the flat?
Guido will call back after lunch…
The list of Tory rebels welding machine guns to their jeeps and preparing to drive across the desert to Colonel Gaddavei’s compound, is going to reach 100. Guido has had an interesting tip from usually reliable sources: Word is that up to fifteen junior ministers and whips are threatening to break the three-line whip on Monday. There are some very angry voices on the inside, but emphasis is on the “threatening”…
It seems that the leadership are trying to be clever by trailing the prospect of a three-line whip to take the pressure off of voting day. Announcing it today gives time to row back over the weekend in an attempt to make Monday a damp squib. Guido isn’t sure these back-room manoeuvres will work…
It only took twenty-five rebels to derail Major’s government and already nearly triple that number of Tory MPs have agreed to support an EU referendum when it is debated in the House on Monday. Add to that the fifty-seven Liberal Democrat MPs who stood on a pledge to have an In/Out debate. They don’t have a track record of selling out on promises, do they?
Already Dave and co are sweating, and that’s before the growing number of Euro-sceptic union backed Labour MPs are taken into account. Tory careerist types shouldn’t worry too much about toadying – as has been said elsewhere, the leader of the Maastricht rebels ended up becoming the Tory leader. What might get you a pat on the head and a chocolate button from Osborne in the short term, will cost you in the long run...
UPDATE: The LibDems sell out, the news is breaking that they will be three lined whip against the referendum. Have a look at what Clegg said it 2008:
“Nobody in this country under the age of 51 has ever been asked that simple question. That includes half of all MPs. We’ve been signed up to Europe by default: two generations who have never had their say.”
Why’s that Nick?
Questions For MPs – Dan Han
Bad Week For SpAds – Dan Hodges
Ken and May Round II – ESP
Fox’s Last Interview – Amber Elliott
Guardian Legitimately Uses Tax Havens – IEA
Sloth to Blame for Crisis – C4 News
Fox’s Acceptance Speech – Quentin Letts
The Rebels – ConservativeHome
Obama/Clinton 2012 – Tim Stanley
Come Off It Liam – Roy Greenslade
Spotted in Leicester – David MacLean
Time to Sort the Men From the Boys – Nick Wood
Jill Pay Leaving Closes Dark Chapter In History - WikiMinster
Cameron’s PMQs Problem – The Commentator
V Is For What? – Paul Mason
Watson Buys News Corp Shares - Bloomberg
Will IDS Get Stuck in the Mire? – Speccie
Simon Hoggart writes…
“Such is the loathing politicians feel for the press (except reporters they like) that anyone can now blame their behaviour not upon themselves, but on the media for exposing them.”
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