tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6918110069571488119.post6751071532312066366..comments2023-10-31T14:37:05.162+00:00Comments on Governmentitus: President RompuyDaniel1979http://www.blogger.com/profile/15995019999758145443noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6918110069571488119.post-15076651848603805842009-11-17T18:20:41.068+00:002009-11-17T18:20:41.068+00:00Thanks for the link. I listened to the Podcast at...Thanks for the link. I listened to the Podcast at lunchtime and added the article to my Recommended Reading list today.<br /><br />I was in agreement earlier that it is a good step that the Beeb mentions it... though with some thought, I suspect it is calculated by them that if the EU is a topic of debate, it is uncomfortable for David Cameron and potentially a vote loser for the Conservatives. (Thus not so much that the anti-EU debate forced it, more that it also suits the BBC to mention it.) Labour and Gordon Brown have very few swing voters left available to them, all the Beeb can do is act to keep the Conservative majority down...<br /><br />I am glad the EU will be debated openly; I hope we can get more people into mindset that withdrawal is the best option available to Britain, and I want to do that through open and informed public debate. If you have a state broadcaster with the power and reach of the BBC and it's head buried in the sand this is a nearly impossible task.<br /><br />However, in the podcast the argument against leaving the EU was so flimsy a stiff breeze could have blown it down - if they took that argument to BBC1 and gave it some airtime people like Hannan and Farage would have an audience of millions of voters and could make a real difference to the argument - I just doubt the BBC have the guts to go that far. (*nudge)<br /><br />The best way out of the EU is to force the Conservatives to accept an in or out referendum (which is unlikely). If this cannot be done, then a vote for UKIP is the only option. <br /><br />Hypothetically if the BBC did ratchet up the EU debate to apply heat on team Cameron and voters did start to look to UKIP, the prospect of a hung Parliament might force Cameron to offer a harder line (and hopefully a referendum on membership) in return for UKIP votes. It may be a pipedream today, but let's see how it plays out.Daniel1979https://www.blogger.com/profile/15995019999758145443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6918110069571488119.post-79789844887355239792009-11-17T11:03:27.807+00:002009-11-17T11:03:27.807+00:00As expected Lisbon will soon start to bite - direc...As expected Lisbon will soon start to bite - direct taxation and a single EU Army; nothing better to hasten our exit.<br /><br />As an aside Daniel, did you see this from the BBC<br /><br />http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8359160.stm<br /><br />The discussion was last night, but the most revealing thing for me was that the BBC were discussing the prospect of withdrawal at all - we're getting somewhere.TheBoilingFroghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00791961503315586243noreply@blogger.com