+Cameron's Europe Speech Live Blog+
DC expected up at 1600.
Apologies for delay - laptop died.
16.12: Never again seems to be the key theme. No referendum on Lisbon. No made up. referendum. But Conservatives will never let this happen again.
16.13 It's Blair and Brown to blame for this. Damn straight.
16.14 European law jurisdiction over British law will be renegotiated. This can't happen unilaterally. Changing rules Britain has signed up.
Negotiation must have agreement of all 27 states. Highly complicated. Hague is on the case.
Success will establish the fact that integration is not a one way street.
16.15: Essential, realistic, and deliverable. Identified areas of concerns that interfere with our democracy.
16.18 "remaining of course as a member of the EU." hmmm.
16.19 EU has mended painful divisions apparently. Would be ironic if the first president is a German no?
16.20: we will never allow Britain to slide into a federal Europe. That's more like it. "The mandate we will seek at the next election." Intriguing
16.21: Could well be enough to buy off the euro sceptics, and placate the euro-extremists. TB is pretty sold. It is clear a substantial renegotiation is about to take place if the Conservatives win. "not going to treat people like fools offering a referendum that will do nothing"
"A policy on Europe that we can believe in"
Newsnight get the first question.
ITV try spin this as a uturn and damaging to trust in Cameron. He smacks down straight away saying his promise was clear but the ratification of the treaty made the ref impossible.
"A clear and frank statement."
16.24: Sky's Glen O'Glaza asks about the threat of UKIP - "Everyone is disappointed, downcast" about a lack of vote. We pushed this issue as hard as we could" "If it hadn't happened we would have named the day."
We have to live for the day not the world we would like. Very Obamaesque.
Realistic, straight forward, deliverable are the buzz words. There every answer. Hitting home the point.
16.18 "remaining of course as a member of the EU." hmmm.
16.19 EU has mended painful divisions apparently. Would be ironic if the first president is a German no?
16.20: we will never allow Britain to slide into a federal Europe. That's more like it. "The mandate we will seek at the next election." Intriguing
16.21: Could well be enough to buy off the euro sceptics, and placate the euro-extremists. TB is pretty sold. It is clear a substantial renegotiation is about to take place if the Conservatives win. "not going to treat people like fools offering a referendum that will do nothing"
"A policy on Europe that we can believe in"
Newsnight get the first question.
ITV try spin this as a uturn and damaging to trust in Cameron. He smacks down straight away saying his promise was clear but the ratification of the treaty made the ref impossible.
"A clear and frank statement."
16.24: Sky's Glen O'Glaza asks about the threat of UKIP - "Everyone is disappointed, downcast" about a lack of vote. We pushed this issue as hard as we could" "If it hadn't happened we would have named the day."
We have to live for the day not the world we would like. Very Obamaesque.
Realistic, straight forward, deliverable are the buzz words. There every answer. Hitting home the point.
16.30 One of TB's favourite hacks Nick Watt asks Dave for a "cast-iron" promise about the rebate. Cheeky.
DC slams Blair in response saying he gained nothing with his rebate negotiations and essentially pissed money away. (TB's words not his.)
16.35: DC keen to wrap up quickly but conceeded a question from a continental journo "in the spirit of things"
16.40:
Peter Hitchins keeping his hand up while Dave is talking despite being continuely ignored. Wonder why. He looked like a tit though:
Could fooled the bear though.
Verdict?
TB buys it, as will candidates and the ones trapsing the streets for the next few months. There are bigger fish to fry in the short term, the renegotiation promise means Europe can now once again be put on the back burner. The conversation has beein saved for another day, when hopefully the tories will have the power to turn words into action.
Posts
12 comments:
I expect: No referendum. We'll seek mandate for renegotiation as part of election manifesto.
Which is fine by me - you can't have a referendum on something that is already signed, sealed and delivered....unfortunately.
Geez - it's a gamble. He's right to put it front & centre but whatever way you look at it - we've been screwed and this is a vote loser. Labour have just left us with so much bloody hard work to do and they just couldn't give a toss.
Thank you for bringing this to us. Very interesting. I look forward to the newspapers tomorrow.
TB: the Tory's are selling out their Eurosceptic grassroots in the same way Labour sold out the working man.
Cameron doesn't need to promise anything now as he know's it's in the bag - which is why he keeps saying that the manifesto will be the mandate.
What I wouldn't give for Hannan to form a break away...
Sorry, TB, but I don't buy it. My membership of the party is hanging by a thread. Too many powers have been handed over to the EU. The British people deserve the promise of a referendum on Europe, our future relationship with the EU. I want agreement on trade, but that's where it ends. I want the EU out of this country's political affairs and considering the rank and file of the party also want the same, I can't see how Cameron has reassured us at all.
Not that I enjoy pissing against the wind but I agree with the staying with EU part...
Obviously return law making ability to member states and any central laws requiring ratification by all 27 parliaments/referendum.
Obviously keep garlic eaters at arms length by demanding passports at the border.
Obviously keep Teflon away from the Presidency.
But... the EU has done some good laws - exactly the sort of thing that they should be doing.
ie. 112
ie. standardisation of standards (its an engineering thing)
ie. keep the germans busy
Small but very important things that are incredibly useful and wouldn't have been done without it.
You might buy it TB but I dont't.
I've just resigned my position as an officer of an association and I certainly won't be trapsing any streets for a party lead by Cameron.
The man is a liar and why does he think we will believe a manifesto pladge after reneging on a "cast-iron guarantee".
Those who nickname him "shameron" are spot on!!!
Err... do you think Hannan read my comment at 17:13?
He's returning to the back benches!
Do you actually believe your own words or do you just like the sound of them? This is a frank question for I do very much enjoy your blog and am not taking the piss out of it. I am merely wondering do you believe what you write?
I slept on it over night and I think thats it for me. I'll now be voting UKIP
How to manipulate public opinion
1. Wait for a big Tory announcement
2. Put up lots of comments claiming to be from Tories disgusted with it.
3. Perhaps fool some proper Tories into agreeing and adding negative comment.
4. Wait for the MSM to pick up and widely spread the "fact" that Tory grassroots HATE the Tory announcement AND D Cameron.
5. Repair to the Spinner's Arms for a well-earned drink or two.
Alan Douglas
This seems to be a fundamental difference between Liebore and the Tories. The tories confront the real world and tell the truth. The Prime Mentalist lives in his own little world and lies and smears and hides away when the going gets tough.