Hague says he's been held back on Europe by the Lib Dems

strapworld

Hague has turned out to be a complete coward. The greatest disappointment in the tory party. He is used, by Cameron, in a belief that the 'right wing' still believe in this man. I do not believe that his stock is as high, in the parliamentary party as he and Cameron believe.

The article shows that Cameron and co have raised the white flag on matters EU. There will be NO re-negotiation of our lost powers and they will try to blame the Liberal Democrats.

It would be good for our democracy if the Conservative party conference gave Cameron and Co a good kicking, but I will not hold my breath. It appears to me that Common Purpose has taken over control of the party and that organisation is run by the EU!

Hague should go back to Yorkshire, to the family business of making fizzy drinks. That is the only way he can get any bottle now.

Publius

"In an attempt to reassure euro-sceptics"

More pre-conference, softening-up spin. Are people foolish enough to swallow this crap?

stephen bennetts

There is aground swell of public opinion for us to leave the EU,a view I share. Hagues remarks are an indication that the public view is having some effect,however what is required is not words but action !

RCE

And it's got nothing to do with Nadine Dorris's question at PMQ's.

Honest.

DZ

"The problem with Hague’s position, though, is that the best chance Britain is likely to have to repatriate powers will probably take place within this parliament, while the Tories are in coalition with the Liberal Democrats."

The cynic in me says that this is, precisely, the reason that he felt able to make the above statement.

Woody

The tories should just go-ahead and let the Lib Dems throw their toys out of the pram.

TomTom

You wouldn't guess there is a Conference next month from all this posturing. Hague has a career built on this approach. Merkel has stated she wants a NEW Treaty to deepen the EU; Oettinger wants EU Officials to run the Greek Treasury and privatise state assets.

Obviously Britain will go along because the LibDem tail wags the passive Tory dog; but Cameron and Hague will go along and Osborne will trot along to Brussels to present his budget for approval.

The whole political farce is tedious. It is like old lags going to some repertory theatre to entertain old ladies with music hall acts of byegone eras. These Tory tea dances are ideal for ageing boy wonders like Willie Hague to reprise their lines

David Preston

Call a General Election at the close of the Conservative Party Conference

2trueblue

Well somebody had to say it, and not before time. We just need more tories saying it, but louder.

Dennis Churchill

We really do need to discuss the position of Clegg receiving a pension from the EU, which is subject to supporting that organisation/State/whatever.
At the very least there should be declarations of interest whenever this occurs.
An insistence that we will never be allowed a referendum on membership seems an indefensible position and smacks of colonialism where the colonial masters dismissed the need for consent of the native populations.
Does our political class really believe this can just go on and on without serious problems for them? It looks more and more as if the Lib Dems were sacrificed as a party in order to neutralise the anti-EU Conservatives. It would just take a couple of Conservatives to resign the whip on this issue…

TrevorsDen

Don't talk insane rubbish strapworld. That is a nonsense way to describe Hague.

The overwhelming point to take from this is that it is utterly pointless to vote UKIP or for anyone else other than conservative if you want to deal with the EU effectively.

And its a bit fanciful to say the best chance of dealing with the EU is in this parliament. The eurozone is in a mess and more and more countries are becoming dissassociated with the european experiment.

And indeed - lets hear the LDs stick up for the Euro and the EU - come 2015 its will be nice to have something clear and understandable for the electorate to get their votes stuck into. Today it should be 3 cheers to Hague for making that point clear.

Publius

Why has my earlier post not appeared?

an ex-tory voter

Hague's problem is not the Lib Dems who would be committing electoral suicide to seek or allow a General Election at present, and are therefore "putty" in the hands of a real political operator. Just consider what Mandelson would do with them if he were in Cameron's position. No, Hague's real problem is his own lack of principle and courage, coupled with a europhile PM, masquerading as a Conservative.
As for George Eustace and his "eurosceptic group", I suggest anyone considering buying that fantasy first look at the individual voting records of the group members. If you still think any of them are "eurosceptic" I suggest you seek immediate psychiatric help.

In2minds

It's pathetic for the likes of Hague to talk about being held back by the Lib Dems. If he could not see this coming then he should not have formed the coalition with them.

And talk of the UK imploding for being without a government is also rubbish, Belgium seems to manage. Mind you no coalition no fancy job, eh William?

Axstane

strapworld

Common Purpose! And the Bilderbergers, not to forget the international Zionist Conspiracy and then there are those Templars and the secret hierarchy of the Masons. Ruddy nonsense.

strapworld

TrevorsDen. You really do need to take those rose tinted spectacles off. Without resorting to the gutter language you adore. Just let me know, on this blog, the items this conservative government (Under Liberal democrat control) have re-negotiated from the EU? What difference have they made? What right has this or any government to tie us to the EU without the EXPRESS direction of the people?

Sometimes TD, my old pal, you really are beyond redemption.

Dennis Churchill is spot on. Why should we be treated like serfs by the political master class.

Rhoda Klapp

I wrote a long screed earlier today, the site seems to have swallowed it. Possibly due to my own fat fingers, but never mind, let us approach this more simply. What powers? When did he ask for them to be returned? What was the reply? Or is this a hypothetical list pf powers? Or are we still in the realm of Lear, 'I know not what they are, but they shall be the terrors of the earth'? Is this in fact a seemingly eurosceptic stance devoid of any real content? I think James should have asked, while he was being briefed, don't you? Otherwise this looks like a sneak attack on the LDs, who at least have a consistent and solid position on the EU, even if it is wrong. Matters should not be left to rest here.

Unconvinced

I agree with strapworld. I can't see this crowd managing to convince me to vote Conservative again. I will vote UKIP because it is the only honest thing to do if you wish to withdraw from the EU. I could not care less about TrevorsDen's opinion or any of the other feeble minded Tory propagandists who leap into savage anyone who says they will vote UKIP. I have nothing but contempt for you; you are the real traitors.

Dave B

I doubt the LDs have much to do with it. Hague, and Cameron appear to be entirely under the direction of the Civil Service. The EU insulates bureaucrats from democratic accountability, so they'll do all they can to prevent repatriation of powers to the UK.

The Conservatives are probably a less-bad government than Labour, but they're still bad.

Charles De Ghoul

@TrevorsDen

The LibDems were clear about their intentions in the 2010 election.

http://network.libdems.org.uk/manifesto2010/libdem_manifesto_2010.pdf

"The European Union has evolved signifi cantly since the last public vote
on membership over thirty years ago. Liberal Democrats therefore remain
committed to an in/out referendum the next time a British government signs
up for fundamental change in the relationship between the UK and the EU."

So, hiding behind the LibDems isn't going to work, they are in favour of an IN/OUT referendum. The only reason we are not getting one is because of Cameron/Hague...

Hague is either a coward or a traitor, this view is supported by a suprising amount of people. Maybe you should leave CCHQ more often?

Dennis Churchill

TrevorsDen
September 10th, 2011 11:15am
You would think there was a party conference coming up.
As long as you can keep them in check until next time they can be safely ignored.

Publius

@Dennis Churchill 4.29pm
"You would think there was a party conference coming up.
As long as you can keep them in check until next time they can be safely ignored."

My point too, made earlier. But once again my posts are failing to appear.

All this reads to me like pre-conference softening-up spin. Has James Forsyth been bought?

disenfranchised

i've never done any TevorsDen-bashing on these pages, and i notice i must be about the only person who hasn't.
but the dear boy's comment "that it is utterly pointless to vote UKIP or for anyone else other than conservative if you want to deal with the EU effectively" is twenty-one carat bullshit!
there is every point in voting UKIP, because they are the ONLY party who will deal with the EU effectively.......by soddin-well getting us OUT of it!
christ, you do try our patience Trev.....

Verity

I'm with Strapworld and Rhoda K. This reeks of a planted piece for a reason.

David Parker

Please Please can we stop this rubbish about return or repatriation of powers we have already ceeded to the EU?

Unless the EU collapses (DV) or we opt to leave it; thanks to the Acquis Commumautaire
these powers, like a meal which has been eaten and digested, are non returnable (except, possibly, in a form which would only be acceptable to Hague and his ilk).

Note also the weasel and dishonest words
" would like to see..." and, as used in their last election campaign " will use our best endeavours to seek repatriation..."

There was once a time when some politicians could have honestly believed that it was in Britain's best interests to become or remain a member of the EU, but if they now still refuse to acknowledge the history of the performance of EU and the reality of its current failure, they are either very stupid or very dishonest.

denis cooper

Even the LibDems are not entirely unreasonable, or at least some of them.

So how about Hague tries asking them a few questions like:

"Is it reasonable that a country is not allowed to join the EU, unless at the same time it pledges itself to also join the euro once the conditions are deemed correct?"

After all, the UK has a treaty opt-out from ever having to join the euro, as has Denmark; so is it reasonable that this legal requirement to join the euro at the earliest opportunity is automatically imposed on all new member states?

Or this one:

"Is it reasonable that countries which joined the euro on the original terms will not be given the option of withdrawing now that the terms of membership are going to be changed?"

Maybe he could even persuade Clegg to support reasonable treaty changes to rectify those patently unreasonable restrictions on the freedom of our "EU partners" to determine their national destinies.

Cynic

How very convenient to use the LDs as an excuse. I am so disappointed in Hague. I used to think he was pro-UK.

david

“I wanted a Conservative government. I would have liked to have pursued some of the things on Europe on which we’ve had to compromise. However, I do find the experience of coalition government is much better than many of us feared. This is a more united Government than the one I served in before, which was purely Conservative.”

So the Libdems are holding him back, so he hates 'em. On the other hand, he loves 'em.

London Calling

Hague says he's been held back on Europe by the Lib Dems…?

So it is time to shake things up. We need to redistribute power and responsibility. It's your community and you should have control over it. So we need decentralisation. It's your money and you should know what is being done with it. So we need transparency. It's your life that's affected by political decisions and the people who make those decisions should answer to you, so we need accountability.

EU
But if there is one political institution that needs decentralisation, transparency, and accountability, it is the EU.

For the past few decades, something strange has been happening on the left of British politics. People who think of themselves as progressives have fallen in love with an institution that no one elects, no one can remove, and that hasn't signed off its accounts for over a decade.

Indeed even to question these things is, apparently, completely beyond the pale. Well, here is a progressive reform plan for Europe.

Let's work together on the things where the EU can really help, like combating climate change, fighting global poverty and spreading free and fair trade.
But let's return to democratic and accountable politics the powers the EU shouldn't have.

And if we win the election, we will have as the strongest voice for our country's interests, the man who is leading our campaign for a referendum, the man who will be our new British Foreign Secretary: William Hague.

David Cameron -Tory Conference speech
October 8th 2009

Today-Online

David Cameron told parliament yesterday that Britain's influence in Europe would suffer if the country was distracted by a referendum on our membership of the EU.

September 8th 2011

So it is time to make things up. We need to dispute power and responsibility. It's not your community and you have no control over it. So you need decentralisation. It's not your money and you shouldn’t know what is being done with it. So you do not need transparency. It's your life that's affected by political decisions and the people who make those decisions should not answer to you, you have no need of accountability.

EU
But if there is one political institution that has no need of decentralisation, transparency, and accountability, it is the
EU.

For the past few decades, something strange has been happening in British politics. People who think of themselves as progressives have fallen in love with an institution that no one elects, no one can remove, and that hasn't signed off its accounts for over a decade.

Indeed even to question these things is, apparently, completely beyond the pale. Good, Well, here is a progressive reform plan for Europe.

Let's work together on the things where the EU can really help, like combating change, fighting and spreading.
But let's return to democratic and accountable politics the powers the EU should have.

And if we win the election, we will have as the strongest voice for our country's interests, the man who is leading our campaign for a referee, the man who will be our new British Foreign Secretary: William Hague.

Candy Oulson

Voter

@David Preston

And again fail to gain a majority......or go into opposition. Brilliant

TGF UKIP

Now just remind us, James, who blew an unloseable election and put the 57 seat LibDems into this position and who couldn't get into bed with them quick enough, to the point where he lied to his own parliamentary party.

strapworld

The Last Night of the Proms was wonderful. Not ONE ruddy EU flag anywhere! How long will the BBC tolerate such disgraceful behaviour?

AliC

We're being held back on everything by the LibDums, most notably scrapping the accursed yumanrights act and replacing it with a better bill of rights.

FvH

Is that the sound of goats being scaped

Oooh those beastly Lib Dems says Vague

Holding us back from being Eurosceptic !!!

And me with a Conference coming up. Its enough to make me flounce off!

Rhoda Klapp

The powers of parliament are on loan from the people. The parliament has no right to give away those powers unilaterally, to cede them to a non-constitutional entity. What they have lent to the EU, they can get back any time they like, by passing an act. If that means repudiating a treaty, so be it. That's what they could do if they had the will or the fortitude to do it. All this 'hold me back' nonsense is mere theatre.

Hexhamgeezer

The 'Lib' Dems pretend to be in favour of an in/out referendum. So what's stopping spineless 'cast iron promise' dave and William '14 pints a day' Hague from giving us something, anything, relating to some kind of choice on Europe?

Dimoto

Coming from Hague, yes, almost certainly pre-conference softening up.

But, that aside, a Conservative leadership wanting to wrestle back power from Brussels, surely wouldn't be best advised to jump in on day 1, with both feet.

This whole crisis is ripening nicely, there will come a time when they (very) urgently need our assent.
That will be when we see what Cameron and Osborne are really about.

David Lindsay

Ed Miliband, who with Gordon Brown and Ed Balls succesfully held out against the euro during the Blair years, could now position himself within the European popular, political and parliamentary mainstream by proposing legislation with five simple clauses redefining the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union. That legislation ought to command the support of all parties, and it would call the bluff of the supposedly numerous backbench Tory Eurosceptics.