EU referendum
European debate returns to Tory MP vs Tory MP
One of the inevitable consequences of Lord Lawson’s announcement that he’d vote ‘No’ in an EU referendum is that the ideological divides over Europe in the Tory party are starting… Continue reading
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The backbench Tory plot to get a referendum bill into the Commons – and the row that will surely follow
John Baron and Conservative backbench colleagues have been out and about insisting that today’s results underline the need for legislation in this parliament for a referendum on Britain’s membership of… Continue reading
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The EU Referendum Bill won’t appear in Parliament any time soon
Some Tories are all aquiver today after the Prime Minister’s radio hint yesterday that he might be prepared to introduce an EU referendum bill in this parliament after all. Here… Continue reading
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The View from 22 — Ukip vs Westminster, Ukip vs the Tories and intervening in Syria
Is UKIP a bunch of fringe lunatics, or a party ready to shake the establishment to its core? In this week’s Spectator cover feature, James Forsyth examines the Ukip mission… Continue reading
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Dealing with the UKIP threat
How do the Tories deal with UKIP? The party likes to split on most issues, and it has got a nice little fault line running across it at the moment… Continue reading
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David Cameron makes the case for reform in Europe
Germany has elections on the way, Spain is just about holding a lid on its economic crisis while keeping a wary eye on the uphill struggle that its neighbour Portugal… Continue reading
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Over 100 Tory MPs demand EU referendum bill: exclusive details
Tory backbenchers have written again to the Prime Minister demanding legislation guaranteeing a referendum in the next Parliament. Conservative MP John Baron delivered the letter, which bears more than 100… Continue reading
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Should the United Kingdom become an independent country?
Last week, Alex Salmond announced the date for the referendum in Scotland, 18 September 2014. The question is phrased to his advantage. ‘Should Scotland become an independent country?’ it asks.… Continue reading
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Momentum grows for EU referendum bill
One other area besides immigration where Tory MPs want their leader to go further than he feels he can is, unsurprisingly, Europe. There is growing pressure within the party for… Continue reading
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Some cheer for Tory election planners: Clegg determined to oppose EU referendum
The last few weeks have, to put it mildly, not been encouraging for those working on the Tories’ 2015 campaign. But today brings news to gladden their hearts. For the… Continue reading
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Sir John Major on how to win an EU renegotiation
John Major knows a thing or two about naughty Tory MPs and Europe. So David Cameron would do well to listen to his Chatham House speech today in which he… Continue reading
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Hague stays vague on EU renegotiation details
William Hague stayed remarkably jovial throughout his two-hour appearance before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee today, chuckling happily away even when he was asked to imagine what he’d do if… Continue reading
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William Hague: Somalia, Pakistan and Afghanistan is where the threat to the British homeland is coming from
On the Sunday Politics, William Hague confirmed that the greatest terrorist threat to the British homeland come from Somalia, Pakistan and Afghanistan. But he argued that without intervention, the Sahel… Continue reading
49 Comments William Hague goads Labour on Europe
What a lot of fun William Hague had this afternoon in the Commons as he opened a debate tabled by the Prime Minister on Europe. ‘I have not yet exhausted… Continue reading
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How the terms of debate on Europe changed
The website of the new Centre for British Influence through Europe reveals just how far on the back foot the pro-Europeans are. Its introductory article states: ‘It is also wrong… Continue reading
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Cameron encourages his party to bang on about Europe
Something quite curious is going to happen in the Commons this afternoon. David Cameron is encouraging his party to bang on about Europe. He has called a general debate, with… Continue reading
46 Comments Europe Minister won’t give renegotiation specifics
There’s ‘no secret plot to get Britain out of the EU’ declared David Lidington on the Sunday Politics. In an interview with Andrew Neil, the Europe Minister was determinedly vague… Continue reading
36 Comments The EU must change
I have been out of the country for a couple of weeks and away from the sweet furore of the internet. I’ll be posting in the coming days on some… Continue reading
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Cameron & co relieved by Merkel reaction to speech
Angela Merkel’s statement yesterday was a big fillip to David Cameron’s European strategy as it suggested renegotiation was possible. One senior government source called it ‘as good as we could… Continue reading
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Why I’m not keen on referenda
It did not, in the end, take very much to outfox Ed Miliband. You wonder what he had been expecting the Prime Minister to say about a referendum on withdrawing,… Continue reading
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