Lib Dem MP for Portsmouth South, Mike Hancock, has publicly demanded the Liberal Democrats support a referendum on the EU reform treaty – and says that that many of his Parliamentary colleagues agree.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World at One today, Mike said:
“I believe [the treaty] requires the agreement of the British people – as Prime Minister Blair promised, and as we as a party in the Liberal Democrats promised. … I’m unsure myself, but I would hope that the Lib Dems will stick to their word on this one. I certainly wouldn’t compromise my position on it. I’m adamant, whatever comes, I would vote for and demand a referendum so people in this country can have the say that we promised them.”
Asked about the mood among Lib Dem MPs, he added: “I think many of them in private would support that view.” He predicted that a Commons vote on a referendum would be “very close” if the Lib Dems backed it, and “bring the figures down to a vote that, I think, Gordon Brown would be very loathe to chance his hand on”.
You can hear the interview with Mike by clicking here – it’s about 11 minutes in.
And you can, of course, express your own view by voting in our online poll (eyes right) – currently Mike’s view is backed by a majority of Lib Dem Voice readers, with 52% agreeing the Liberal Democrats should support calls for a referendum on the European Union reform treaty, and 37% disagreeing.
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15 Comments
Yes but Mike Hancock also called for Shambo the sacred temple bull to be saved from slaughter, so just ignore him.
Laurence:
Mike Hancock has a long record of interest in animal welfare issues. And I am unaware that the Party had an official position on Shambo the bullock (note: he wasn’t a bull, as some media reported). So I hardly think Mike needs to be ignored.
One silly statement doesn’t make one a villain, nor does one sensible utterance make one a saint.
Adolf Hitler was a dog lover, non-smoker and preferred classical to pop. Three things weighing very heavily in his favour. Doesn’t mean he was a good man in other respects, though does it?
Oh, and Nelson Mandela has a terrible taste in shirts. Doesn’t diminish his status, does it?
Mike Hancock has a long record of interest in animal welfare issues.
Then he should have been calling for Shambo to be slaughtered as soon as possible in the interest of avoiding the spread of bovine TB. Was he calling for all the foot and mouth cattle to be saved too?
And I am unaware that the Party had an official position on Shambo the bullock.
Well then we should have done. We need to be clear that there can be no justification for affording religious groups exceptional treatment under the law. We were clear on the issue of gay adoption, so why not in this case?
Note: he wasn’t a bull, as some media reported.
Some people are so ignorant. You’d think they might have known that he was in fact a reincarnation of Lord Shiva.
One silly statement doesn’t make one a villain.”
No, but that was a very very silly statement. The other two culprits were John Hemming and Martin Horwood by the way.
Mike is a good chap, and on this he might be right.
“Was he calling for all the foot and mouth cattle to be saved too?”
As a party, we should have been calling for vaccination, which would have saved most of the slaughtered livestock (plus mountains of public money).
On “Any Questions?” Ming said we shouldn’t have vaccination because the NFU doesn’t want it. A rare instance of Ming being weak.
The NFU represents big farmers, not the smaller scale hill-farmers, who suffered the most.
“We need to be clear that there can be no justification for affording religious groups exceptional treatment under the law.”
Be prepared to get bombs in the post, Laurence. Do you believe we should permit halal and kosher slaughter in the UK?
“You’d think they might have known that he was in fact a reincarnation of Lord Shiva.”
One of Tony Blair’s most nauseating attempts to board a media bandwagon was his joining in the criticism of Glen Hoddle for expressing a belief that disabled people often choose their disabilities to atone for wicked acts in previous lives. So much for Blair’s “respect for other faiths”. He wouldn’t have dared say it about certain religions, now would he?
“The other two culprits were John Hemming and Martin Horwood by the way.”
Laurence, with the exception of Chris Huhne, is there a single Lib Dem MP should have not yet slagged off?
Sorry, I should have said: “Apart from Chris Huhne…”
A rare instance of Ming being weak.
You really are Lady Campbell, aren’t you?
Be prepared to get bombs in the post, Laurence. Do you believe we should permit halal and kosher slaughter in the UK?
Are those cruel methods of slaughter? If so, then it is unconscionable that we permit it. And if I am likely to receive bombs, then that is all the more reason to stand up to these retarded religionists.
One of Tony Blair’s most nauseating attempts to board a media bandwagon was his joining in the criticism of Glen Hoddle for expressing a belief that disabled people often choose their disabilities to atone for wicked acts in previous lives. So much for Blair’s “respect for other faiths.”
Just hold it right there. Are you seriously suggesting that anyone – anyone – ought to have respect for Glen Hoddle? The guy who said that his biggest mistake in France 98 was not bringing Eileen Drewery along?
He wouldn’t have dared say it about certain religions, now would he?
Why not? Because he would have found his head separated from his shoulders? Like I say, this madness has got to stop.
Laurence, apart from Chris Huhne, is there a single Lib Dem MP you have not yet slagged off?
Well being a perfect gentleman, obviously I have refrained from criticising any of the ladies. Otherwise by now I would have taken Sarah Teather apart.
“Just hold it right there. Are you seriously suggesting that anyone – anyone – ought to have respect for Glen Hoddle? The guy who said that his biggest mistake in France 98 was not bringing Eileen Drewery along?”
(1)
What do Glen Hoddle’s religious beliefs have to do with his competence as a football manager?
Would you say the same about a Roman Catholic who thinks it important to carry a rosary with him when he enters an examination hall?
(2)
Tony Blair attacked Glen Hoddle for holding a belief in karma. Yet Tony Blair believes in transubstantiation. Is that not hypocritical?
What do Glen Hoddle’s religious beliefs have to do with his competence as a football manager?
It was Hoddle who brought his religious beliefs into the dressing room. He wanted players with injuries to go and see Eileen for a nice healing massage, something which was the cause of acute embarrassment to the team. He made his despicable remarks about disabled people in the context of a footballing interview with Matt Dickinson for the Times. He explicitly made the link between religion and football, and then five minutes later cried religious persecution.
Tony Blair attacked Glen Hoddle for holding a belief in karma. Yet Tony Blair believes in transubstantiation. Is that not hypocritical?
Er . . . yes. Tony Blair is a brazen religious hypocrite of the first order. I thought we all knew that. Much more serious is the fact that he is also being hypocritical when he attacks radical Islam, whose beliefs are qualitatively no different to his own. The potential consequences of that piece of muddled thinking don’t bear thinking about.
Now what the hell is it with all this defending of Glen Hoddle? Is he a major Lib Dem donor or something?
I didn’t read it as a defence of Hoddle, more an attack on bandwaggoning Blair. I’m pretty much with Laurence on my dislike of religion, but if one person is allowed to declare the sky fairy made people disabled, then another is surely allowed tos ay it’s reincarnation and past life payment that did it?
Each are equally ludicrous, but to decry one while believing the other is hypocritical, yet that was what happened with Hoddle, condemned by many with religious faith of their own.
This discussion has drifted a little.
Well yes, I totally agree about the hypocrisy. But hypocrisy and religion are joined at the hip, which is why I tend to ignore the former and nuke the latter.
Laurence Boyce said: “He made his despicable remarks about disabled people…”
But it’s OK to call Eric Lubbock a “spazz”.
Or Ming Campbell an “old codger”.
Perhaps that’s why you ignore hypocrisy?
Just a thought. Perhaps Glen Hoddle wanted Eileen Drewery to work with the England team because he had reasonable grounds to believe that it would help them.
I think most people will be able to distinguish between making a politically incorrect remark buried way down a Blog, and broadcasting one’s views to the entire nation through the television and print media. But if I offended anyone, I apologise.
I wonder if Eileen is available to lead the Liberal Democrats?
2 Angus Huck
‘Adolf Hitler was a dog lover, non-smoker and preferred classical to pop. Three things weighing very heavily in his favour. Doesn’t mean he was a good man in other respects, though does it?
Oh, and Nelson Mandela has a terrible taste in shirts. Doesn’t diminish his status, does it?’
What incredibly profound comments,don’t give up the day job!