Tories defying the profligate European Union
Fraser Nelson 4:25pm
Anyone who thought the new intake of Tory MPs were a bunch of automatons should take a
look at the House of Commons order paper today. MPs have been asked to sign away 60 percent more of British
taxpayers’ money to Brussels, in defiance of British public opinion. For years, they have done so without qualms. But the Conservatives, who were so rightly outraged at the way Labour whipped
through the Lisbon Treaty, are challenging this. In an age of austerity, when we’re cutting child benefit and asking if Britain can afford to be a world-class military power, why should MPs
sign off a 60 percent increase in the amount of money transferred from British taxpayers to the EU authorities? This is bad enough – but MPs are being asked to vote through even more money
for three reasons- as Daniel Hannan points out on his blog, none of these reasons are acceptable. Instead, the
Tory names – Zac Goldsmith, Kwasi Kwarteng, David Davis – have signed an amendment saying that the House:
It takes 43 MPs to overturn the government’s majority. Some 34 Tories have signed up – and I don’t even see names like Priti Patel up there yet, let alone Bill Cash, etc. They make an excellent point. Net EU contribution was £3bn in 2008-09. In this parliament, it is set to soar from £3.7bn to £9.5bn – and what do we get in return? A whole bunch of things that all three parties are opposed to: a new EU foreign office, with attendant staff, and supervisory agencies which would destroy the City of London’s competitive advantage. It is strikingly undemocratic, and it is refreshing to see so many young MPs showing fidelity to their constituents and demanding that a debate is held. You can bet that few them would ruin their reputations by failing to vote for the motion they have just signed. Things may be about to get interesting.“...is concerned at the above-inflation increase being made to Britain’s EU budget contribution; believes that, at a time when the Government is poised to make reductions in public spending elsewhere, it is wrong to increase that contribution; and calls on the Government to reduce Britain’s EU budget contribution.”
Previous
Tim Hedges
October 13th, 2010 4:50pm Report this commentDon't you believe it. They'll back off. they always do.
Hugh Janus
October 13th, 2010 5:10pm Report this commentIt's high time we had some austerity in the EU, but probably not in my lifetime. I would be amazed - but delighted - if DC told the EU that that we were not prepared to contribute any more, but I have no doubt that they would drag us through some court or other, on the basis that NuLiebour, in their usual shallow and profligate way, stitched us up like kippers. They never could say 'no' to a bit of spending (or rather a lot of spending in their case).
Better still, let's have back the refund that Bliar threw away.
Freeborn John
October 13th, 2010 5:17pm Report this commentLet's hope they stick to their guns. The track record would suggest the party heirarchy do the EU's bidding though and MPs put the whips and their own career interest ahead of their constituents' interest.
Robert Eve
October 13th, 2010 5:32pm Report this commentJust emailed my MP to ask why her name is not on the list of MPs supporting Douglas Carswell. Wonder if I'll get a response.
denis cooper
October 13th, 2010 5:32pm Report this commentJust started on BBC Parliament.
Swiss Bob
October 13th, 2010 5:45pm Report this commentThe only hope is the knowledge that all empires fall and one day the EU will cease to exist.
Ray
October 13th, 2010 5:50pm Report this commentGood 'on them!
And, by the way, thank you, Fraser, for being one of the most potent voices of Euro-scepticism to be heard at the Conservative Party Conference's recent fringe meetings.
I know you still believe that Britain should remain an EU member. However, I sense it won't be long before you too have a Damascus Road moment and join the swelling ranks of we erstwhile Europhiles who have finally realised that this whole misbegotten project for 'ever closer union' is flawed and beyond redemption.
The time for Britain to break free is now long undue.
HFC
October 13th, 2010 6:16pm Report this commentThanks, Denis Cooper. A welcome relief from every news programme with the endless coverage of the Chilean mine rescue. Not many in the Chamber but lively stuff on a topic that affects us all rather more directly and significantly.
DaveL
October 13th, 2010 6:27pm Report this commentHurrah for this!
Norman Dee
October 13th, 2010 6:32pm Report this commentAt last some backbone ! lets hope that this works and encouraged by that we set about cutting through the undergrowth of crap that is determined to drag us down with the rest of Europe.
Edward McLaughlin
October 13th, 2010 6:52pm Report this commentWell, the money to pay people in France to retire at 62; Greece at 53 etc, etc, has got to come from somewhere.
Mr L
October 13th, 2010 7:04pm Report this commentIt's really quite simple. When the EU asks for more money, don't give it them. The guide should always be: what would the French do? I bet they wouldn't pay if they were in our circumstances. The EU can make terrible noises if we withhold the money, but can't actually do much. And the BBC would be very upset, which is another bonus.
normanc
October 13th, 2010 7:05pm Report this commentThe true cost of EU membership is higher than the dues we pay. Our businesses have to comply with telephone directories of regulations that regularly spew out of the machine.
You could cost it in tens of billions and not be exaggerating.
Agree with the first poster though. We'll negotiate a 'stunning victory' of a reduction of a couple of hundred million a year (that will make it's way to the EU by other means) and it will be business as usual.
Alan Campbell
October 13th, 2010 7:05pm Report this commentA desperate attempt to play up the Conservatives' euroskeptic credentials. It will come to nothing and they'll go along with the consensus. And you know it.
an ex-tory voter
October 13th, 2010 7:32pm Report this commentI will believe it when I see it, they have a track record of doing precisely nothing to hold the Coalition to account. This is just Mr Nelson flying yet another pro Cameron flag, in the hope we will forget all the damage he has done and is doing to our national interest. You can fool some of the people come of the time .......
Noa Zrk
October 13th, 2010 7:52pm Report this commentRobert Eve
A good reminder and hint! I've done the same.
Chris Rose
October 13th, 2010 7:56pm Report this commentAt last! May they be successful.
dorothy wilson
October 13th, 2010 8:24pm Report this commentAnd according to the Open Europe newsletter the EU has just spent £25m on new offices in London. And how much on offices elsewhere?
London Calling
October 13th, 2010 9:01pm Report this commentGood post Fraser… 3 Billion reasons not to smile…;(
This is a very interesting development…and about time, the EU has fast become a financial black hole that we can ill afford…hats off to Daniel Hannan, he has been blowing his trumpet on this subject for some time now and I hope the Government find their back bone on this issue, stand up and be counted…on behalf of the UK it would the most honourable act of democracy.
Anthony Bainbridge
October 13th, 2010 9:48pm Report this commentI'm still sore at the Tories' reneging on their promise to give us a referendum on Europe. William Hague made no mention of this backsliding in his otherwise admirable conference speech. I grudgingly admit that today's news, although a poor substitute, is better than nothing.
Fulcra1537
October 13th, 2010 11:39pm Report this commentNow that the rank and file Conservative party is overwhelmingly eurosceptic this is an an issue which can only increase in importance and in its potential to seriously disrupt the long term internal stability of the coalition.In the context of the austerity measures soon to be announced the continual siphoning off of billions of UK taxpayers money to the EU mandarinarate and is indefensible.For now do not expect much more than the brandishing of order papers and a last minute face saving formula to divert the rebels but longer term this could still destroy Cameron.The trouble is we are still observing Queensberry rules whereas other EU states which have long since learned how to ignore EU legislation deemed inimicable to national interests-how else has it survived for this length of time?
As the saying goes Brussels passes the laws and Britain implements them.We can stop feeding the tiger as it is in reality only a paper one.
PuppetMaster
October 14th, 2010 3:52am Report this comment'A whole bunch of things all 3 parties are opposed to' - umm. On the surface they may oppose it, but in reality they don't.
Archie
October 14th, 2010 4:52am Report this commentAbout bloody time! Er, but you won't mind if I check back in a week or two? Just to check, you understand!
Elliot Kane
October 14th, 2010 5:30am Report this commentDouglas Carswell is a hero. We need more like him.
Tarka the Rotter
October 14th, 2010 6:13am Report this commentdon't hold your breath...
Roger Davies
October 14th, 2010 7:46am Report this commentWould someone remind us what the EU is for and what benefits it brings as I have forgotten?
EyeSee
October 14th, 2010 9:15am Report this commentWhen you say interesting, you mean politically, in Westminster. You don't mean generally, with regard to the real lives of the people of the UK. I see some twisting and turning so the very pro-EU leadership can get their way but no actual discussion of the EU. Or our budget contributions. We, the people are only passingly interested in the loves and loathes of the spinmeisters in our political parties. If anyone reads this blog with a view to perhaps buying the magazine I would suggest that it would put them off. In exactly the same way that the electorate is turned off politics. I think that most people who do vote, do so only because they believe the institution is important not the politics and certainly not the politicians. What passes for 'debate' in the House of Commons now and to an even greater extent political 'commentary' such as is practised on here (make your own mind up which use of that word I intended), is actually just a group of people talking about themselves. And as we are all painfully aware in our own lives, such people are insufferable bores. No, the great swell of people are not apathetic (but are I feel increasingly angry) , they pay a great deal of attention to important things. Real things. Despite massive propaganda having held sway, the people are now seeing through the Global Warming scam, the EU is something that the majority of Britons know we could well do without, just as they are also now demanding that someone, it could be the state, but someone, should educate our children. Maybe it was too much to expect the Spectator to lead the way in proper manner; by debating the subject not what the personalities say about it, to provoke politicians to respond to points made on behalf of the people but also, through contributors to this blog, directly from the people. You may not be able to please all of the people all of the time, but by just talking among themselves, politicians and the political journalists who seem more like flies around the merde, prove their complete lack of utility. You have decided that you will talk about politicians rather than what they do. This is a pointless exercise, being merely ego boosting. You need to remember, measure the things that are important, do not make important the things you measure.
In2minds
October 14th, 2010 10:46am Report this comment@Roger Davies - Ask Ken Clarke?
Greenslime
October 14th, 2010 11:32am Report this commentLet's just do with them what we should do with the Jocks and tell them we're off and leave them to get on with whatever they want to do, but without burying their hands in our pockets all the time. The lot of them are worse than a gang of Romanian dippers in the West End!
an ex-tory voter
October 14th, 2010 12:20pm Report this commentAnd after all this hot air has been generated by Mr Nelson's article what do we get? We get the whips herding their bovine charges through the lobby and only 37 brave souls dared to stand and fight. What "flipping" shambles, they are bloody good to anyone, they are no bloody good at all.
Ex-Tory voter
October 14th, 2010 12:39pm Report this commentLike my namesake with an indefinite article, my first thought was "I'll believe it when I see it". If true, it's a step in the right direction, but I shan't be holding my breath.
Boudicca
October 14th, 2010 10:15pm Report this commentI have written to Cameron, Hague and my MP Paul Beresford about the unfairness (to use their term) of scrapping Child Benefit for UK middle income families whilst continuing to pay it to EU immigrants for children they say remain in their home country - and now regarding the UK's contribution to the EU budget.
I am awaiting responses. I know its pointless and a waste of a stamp and my time, but I will not allow the UK to go down without a fight.
It is not good enough to freeze the British contribution to the dictatorship in Brussels - it should be cancalled. I do not admire any Conservative MP for voting to freeze the billions we are paying to the Politburo - I WILL admire them when the force the Coalition Government to hold a Referendum.
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