In the Independent, Sir Menzies Campbell gives his perspective on the latest Tory shenanighans on Europe:
Europe is the glass jaw of the Tory party. Some of their dissidents have been heard to say that Mr Cameron should behave like Margaret Thatcher. But it was her “No, no, no” to Europe which was the straw that broke Geoffrey Howe’s back, and led to the speech that ultimately led to her dethronement. And what about that good man John Major? Sandbagged by an irreconcilable group of no more than 30 Euro rebels who took the opportunity of the proceedings in the Maastricht Treaty to damage their party out of office for 13 years.
You can read the full article here.
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3 Comments
I usually have a lot of respect for Menzies Campbell, but when he says ” as if from dragon’s teeth the dissenters have sprung up”, I’m horrified, that he can give such a slap in the face, to those voters, that simply ask, ‘ Even beg!!? ‘, for democracy, and a legitimate right to say how they feel about Europe.
Even the essence of his speech is wrong. Europe is not the glass jaw of the Tory party, it is the glass jaw of David Cameron. For a variety of reasons the Tory party are poised (and keen), to rid themselves of David Cameron. If he comes back from Europe with a bad result, then he will NOT make it to 2015.
They will gladly rid themselves of Cameron, and in the process, eliminate a ‘ditherer’, over a Europe referendum, an embarrassment over Andy Coulson, an embarrassment over Rebecca Brooks, and an obstacle to a bridge with UKIP protest votes.
One thing Lib Dems simply do not understand, is that the Tories will knife any PM that goes feral.
Benjamin Disraeli, who knew the Tories better than anyone, said that, “A Conservative government is an organized hypocrisy.” Nothing much has changed over the intervening century and a half, except that the Conservatives aren’t even organised these days, European issues tearing them apart.
Margerat Thatcher, really? I’m glad he behaves nothing like her…I can’t even imagine how bad it would be if he did.