tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6918110069571488119.post7387740399785665222..comments2023-10-31T14:37:05.162+00:00Comments on Governmentitus: Letter To A ToryDaniel1979http://www.blogger.com/profile/15995019999758145443noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6918110069571488119.post-62620681243535804182009-03-08T13:51:00.000+00:002009-03-08T13:51:00.000+00:00I wrote the letter for the blog; but as per the su...I wrote the letter for the blog; but as per the suggesions I emailed it today.<BR/><BR/>If I get a reply, I will put it on the blog too.Daniel1979https://www.blogger.com/profile/15995019999758145443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6918110069571488119.post-75999760947496000542009-03-08T00:41:00.000+00:002009-03-08T00:41:00.000+00:00Good post Daniel, please send it.Good post Daniel, please send it.McGonagallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14887321534801112949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6918110069571488119.post-42246037625928649532009-03-07T21:40:00.000+00:002009-03-07T21:40:00.000+00:00One of the points of confusion that continues to r...One of the points of confusion that continues to reign on this matter is exactly what the entirety of David Cameron's pledge was. My recollection is that he pledged to move the Conservatives from the EPP-ED to a new group of Eurosceptic Conservative parties. I don't recall him saying "if we cannot find enough partners to form a group we will sit as Non-Inscrits [i.e. outside any recognised grouping]".<BR/><BR/>Contrary to the claims certain MEPs have been making for years, there are not that many British-style Conservative, as opposed to Christian Democrat, parties in Europe (the Czech ODS, who explicitly modelled themselves on us, are a very rare exception). And furthermore most of the groupings in the European Parliament are very broad alliances of convenience rather than ideologically consistent groups. National parties join these groups to increase their influence not only in the Parliament itself but also in other spheres. One of the reasons why the Irish Fianna Fail has been trying to join the "Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe" is not because Fianna Fáil has suddenly decided it has a guiding ideology (I could stop right there...) of liberalism but because it wants access to influence and its leaders want a real chance of some of the key Euro jobs. (Fianna Fáil really needs to be in the EPP both for such ambitions to be best realised and to be in its most natural position, but Fine Gael got there first and blocks entry.)<BR/><BR/>Now I don't care much about senior Conservatives' prospects of big European jobs, but it does concern the decision makers in many potential partners. Too many Conservative activists have taken a very ideological approach to a distinctly unideological problem. The result is that we are scratching around for potential partners, some of whom will be embarrassing to defend here in the UK (as Fianna Fáil has found in Ireland with some of the exact same parties) and we don't really have anything to offer beyond mere tight ideology.<BR/><BR/>So even if & when there are sufficient of such parties are they going to automatically prioritise ideology and take a walk in the dark with us, rather than instead seeking influence from within one of the biggest blocks in the European Parliament, with all the benefits they offer? And if there are such parties, why haven't we heard more about them?<BR/><BR/>I'll also add that I have never once encountered a voter who actually cares about the party groupings in the European Parliament, and I don't recall anything being made of it in the last European elections.Tim Roll-Pickeringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12589024696145675963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6918110069571488119.post-89997700904716480862009-03-07T21:16:00.000+00:002009-03-07T21:16:00.000+00:00I too am waiting for a sign the conservatives will...I too am waiting for a sign the conservatives will actually ask the electorate to vote on this issue.It will not go away so face it,give us democracy not east german rule.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6918110069571488119.post-36465199842253442072009-03-07T19:14:00.000+00:002009-03-07T19:14:00.000+00:00Super idea Daniel. I do hope you're going to emai...Super idea Daniel. I do hope you're going to email it and also try and get it on ConservativeHome etc.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.com