6/12/2006
Dan on EPP row…
As per normal Dan Hannan neatly sums up the reason why the Conservatives in Europe have no business in the EPP while at the same time exposing the spin against leaving. The good thing, of course, is more and more people are listening to Dan’s position and coming on board. Its times for Cameron & Hague to show some spine and deliver on their promise.
Posted by Andrew Ian Dodge at 10:55 am |
| Category: Liberty in Europe
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The Tory Euro-weenies are always saying that being in the EPP gives the influence in Europe. Influence means being able to change things.
So what influence do they have in the EPP, let alone in Europe as a whole? It is time for the Tory Euro MPs who claim that membership of the EPP gives them influence to demonstrate that influence by persuading the EPP to abandon its commitment to federalism and change its constitution to one which supports an Europe of independent free-trading states. If they can’t deliver it proves they have no influence.
The challenge is to change the EPP otherwise Tory Euro MPs have no alternative to admitting that Dan Hannan is right and withdrawing from the EPP.
Comment by Wolfie — 6/17/2006 @ 9:15 pm
The Tory MEPs should exit the federast EPP immediately. The only argument for staying in it that they appear willing to make is that Britain would lose influence outside the EPP and Conservatives would be forced to sit with various unsavoury extremist parties.
These two points need tackling. First, influence is not earned by meekly going along with someone else’s agenda. Let these MEPs that defend their position in the EPP demonstrate that influence by transforming it into a force for defence of nation states against the centralisers. Let them show they have power by getting the EPP to change its commitment to an ever closer union.
Second, Conservative MEPs would be forced to sit with nobody if they left the EPP. They could sit as independents. It is the European Parliament rules that declare that a recognised group must consist of MEPs from more than one country. Otherwise the Conservative MEPs would be able to form a recognised group in their own right. There are enough of them. The concern many MEPs have and are unwilling to voice is that unless they are members of a group that the parliament recognises and hence funds , they would lose lots of their perks. This is the venal truth behind the commitment to the EPP.
Comment by Wolfie — 6/18/2006 @ 4:46 pm