In Out Referendum

The 'Big Speech'

There are difficulties with the much heralded and anticipated ‘big speech’ this morning. 

The first difficulty is the person making the speech. This is the man who lied about re-organising the NHS before the last election. He has also promised a referendum in the past, and then used wriggly words to slither away from the promise. This is the man who was oh so cosy with the Murdoch empire and in particular Rebekah Brooks. He was spotted deep in conversation for well over an hour with the flame-haired harpie at a Christmas party in his constituency. He finally dismissively agreed that he had indeed met her, after a period of obfuscation. He gave the impression that the lengthy discussion was of no consequence. Oh yeah. This from the man who did not turn over all of his emails and texts to Brooks to the Leveson Inquiry. 

The question of Cameron’s honesty and what he actually stands for is central in this debate. What does he believe? Who is he really working for? The man is a proven liar - why should any rational human being trust him?

The Tory party have been in disarray for years over the Europe question. All Cameron has done is shut up the Eurosceptics for a bit. The raving right of the Tory party are a deeply unappetising lot. To conduct policy at the behest of the barking is suspect at the best of times. In these troubled times, it is short-termism at its worst.

Europe is a mess. The accounts have not been audited for years. The MEP gravy train makes our MPs expenses look positively saintly. Corruption and ‘scratchy-back’ politics are rife. The expansion of the Union without much voice by the people of Europe was a disgrace - even where there was dissent in Ireland they had to keep voting until they got the ‘right’ result with much financial threat behind the scenes. 

And yet and yet. The founding impetus for the movement came out of the ashes of the Second World War. The most destructive war in human history. From those noble beginnings the Union has slipped some considerable distance but the cause of peace is a very powerful plank in the Union’s favour. 

Reform is essential. The disgust at the gravy train is not limited to the UK. Across Europe there are many millions who also want reform - but within the European Union. Cameron should be working to mobilise similar kindred spirits to achieve reform but the parochial constant threat to take his ball home is very tiresome and ineffective politics. 

Cameron is appealing to the ‘little englanders’ in his party and the country who hark back to a supposed golden age that never was. Anyone who thinks that the UK is equipped to forge a brave new future on our own should look at many of our Captains of Industry and Commerce who would do the forging. What fine role models of greed, ‘spivvery,’ corruption and tax evasion they provide. 

We live in a global world - we have to learn to work - and live with it.