Cameron's intervention causes uproar
David Blackburn 6:20pm
Iain Dale has news of fresh ruptures in the Tories’ controversial European grouping. Here are the details:
This is an intriguing development. Perhaps the combination of being in government, the balance of the coalition and Cameron’s markedly improved relations with Merkel and Sarkozy (whose parties are aligned with the EPP) brings the need for fresh European alliances? Most of the controversy surrounding the CRG is unfounded but it certainly damaged Cameron at home and abroad. I’m told that the Tories have no intention of shifting allegiance, and that the original plan was for Kirkhope and Kaminski to share the chairmanship if possible. But even so, watch this space…‘Last week David Cameron held a meeting at Number Ten with the Polish presidential candidate, Jaroslaw Kaczynski and the leader of the Conservatives & Reformist group in the European Parliament, Michal Kaminski. Kaminski was rather surprised to find that the leader of Conservative MEPs, Timothy Kirkhope also turned up. It soon became clear as to why. After Kaczynski left, Cameron told Kaminski that he wanted him and Kirkhope to have a joint chairmanship of the Reformist Group for the next five years. Kaminski was, according to one source, left "gobsmacked".
Yesterday afternoon Kirkhope reported these events back to the group's MEP members in Strasburg. One source said there was "uproar". Another said that "uproar" may be putting it too strongly but "people aren't very happy - it's supposed to be a democratic process".’
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David Bouvier
July 7th, 2010 7:01pm Report this commentIf you recall they gave Kaminski the chair instead of Kirkhope as a gesture of apology after ghastly Edward Macmillan-Scott broke with European Parliament practice and contested the party group Vice-Chairman allocations and enabled non-CRG MEPs to wreck the CRGs arrangements.
Just like they changed to rules purely to make it harder for CRG group of qualify - boy these people loathe democratic accountability.
Thankfully Macmillan-Scott was at long last expelled from the party.
So very plausible that Kirkhope wants some part of the group-leader role.
denis cooper
July 7th, 2010 7:11pm Report this commentSo what's Cameron up to? Deliberately trying to break up the new group, so that the Tory MEPs have no alternative but to rejoin the federalists in the EPP?
David Lindsay
July 7th, 2010 7:36pm Report this commentPromising to set up this meaningless Group enabled Cameron to pose as the Eurosceptic candidate even though David Davis was promising the very meaningful withdrawal from the CFP. The rest of that Group, including Kaminski, is too good for Cameron and his party.
Are there not other Groups that could propose measures and motions for the payment of mothers to stay at home with their children, for adoption and against abortion, for palliative care and against euthanasia, in favour of Obama’s support for traditional marriage (or, at the very least, against compelling anyone to conduct deviations from it), against sex and violence in the media, against State toleration of drugs and prostitution, against unrestricted Sunday trading, and against supermarkets opening on what are supposed to be public holidays for everyone including shop workers? Much of this Group would vote for such measures and motions. But then there would be the Tories.
Are there not other Groups that could propose measures or motions to safeguard or restore family life in general and paternal authority in particular by safeguarding or restoring high-wage, high-skilled, high-status employment such as coal-mining? Much of this Group would vote for such measures and motions. But then there would be the Tories.
Are there not other Groups that could propose measures and motions for generous welfare provisions, for public services in the public sector, for universal healthcare provided by the State, for workers’ rights, and for the public ownership of important companies? Much of this Group would vote for such measures and motions. But then there would be the Tories.
Are there not other Groups that could propose motions, perhaps on appropriate anniversaries, condemning by name all those (including Margaret Thatcher) who signed the Single European Act, and condemning Winston Churchill for his carve-up of Eastern Europe with Stalin? Much of this Group would vote for such motions. But then there would be the Tories.
And so on.
TGF UKIP
July 7th, 2010 9:54pm Report this commentYou can't trust Disaster Dave on Europe, but there again you can't trust him on owt else either.
TGF UKIP
July 7th, 2010 10:11pm Report this commentThe report/whitewash on the CRU by the the shortly to be enobled Sir Muir Russell is out and for a comprehensive fisking CHers should go to wattsupwiththat.com
Should be quite amusing watching the BBC spin it tomorrow.
General Zod
July 7th, 2010 10:56pm Report this commentQuite right, Denis. Cameron is doing the right thing - destabilising both the EPP and the C & R Group. This way, he will have a chance of forming a mainstream right-centre-right group
Victor Southern
July 7th, 2010 11:01pm Report this commentNot much of an uproar here. The tiny minutiae of the political class do not resonate in our lives.
The European Parliament is a toothless lion, a debating chamber for political hacks and political mavericks. It has no real significance whatever set of initials identifies a so-called grouping. Power is with the Commissioners and they are not elected.
Peter From Maidstone
July 8th, 2010 7:57am Report this commentI agree with Victor. This is not really a story. There was not really any uproar. It is more fantasy journalism.
TrevorsDen
July 8th, 2010 10:00am Report this commentCongratulations to TGF UKIP - 'Disaster Dave' what a hoot what genius. It had me rolling in the aisles. When is your next book out TGF?
Funny thing is I cannot think of any disaster brought upon this country by Cameron. He is busy clearing up the mess the last lot gave us. The only other disaster around that I can see is that Fool Farrage (like that? 'Fool Farrage', neat hey?) and his 'leader' Pearson. They probably cost the country a tory majority.
Commentator
July 8th, 2010 12:01pm Report this commentHe isn't "busy clearing up the mess" the last lot left (and in which he was complicit with his ridiculous sharing the proceeds of growth mantra). He's made a lot of noise about clearing up the mess but he hasn't actually done anything yet.
Dorothy Wilson
July 8th, 2010 3:46pm Report this commentCommentator: Well just how long has he been in power?
Tapestry
July 8th, 2010 7:21pm Report this commentCameron postured as a eurosceptic successfully to secure votes. Now he's posturing as not quite such a eurosceptic to schmooze europeans. It's all part of the game of leadership. All sides have to believe he's actually with them.
Cameron can pose europhilish, while Clegg sets about deregulation. They can both act out different roles to keep all sides guessing. Blair and Brown played out various versions of their relationship for ten years, confusing most observers. Cameron and Clegg will be up to the same old tricks. Keep 'em guessing is as good a PR tactic as any other.
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