EU referendum
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
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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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Tory MP: The public will struggle to believe Cameron’s EU pledge
Six months ago, the word ‘referendum’ had not even passed David Cameron’s lips. The issue was not on the table. I would, therefore, like to thank the 100 Conservative Parliamentary… Continue reading
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The Spectator: One step ahead of David Cameron’s EU manoeuvres
While David Cameron’s EU speech today made all the front pages, it is far from fresh news. Two weeks ago, James Forsyth revealed to Spectator readers what the Prime Minister… Continue reading
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Why fall for Cameron’s cast-iron EU pledges?
Tory MPs have fallen for David Cameron’s cast-iron pledges to hold a referendum before. So are they right in buying into his latest promise? Labour is trying to expose cracks… Continue reading
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Labour’s ‘for now’ policy on an EU referendum
The Tory spinners were in an exceptionally good mood after PMQs today. The general feeling was that Ed Miliband had messed up, and this wasn’t helped by his aides having… Continue reading
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Cameron doesn’t want Britain to stay in the EU come what may
One of the more intriguing lines in David Cameron’s speech this morning was his declaration that ‘when the referendum comes let me say now that if we can negotiate such… Continue reading
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Sketch: Cameron’s EU climax
This was no tantric anti-climax. This was a seismic moment in British politics. David Cameron breezed into a London press conference this morning and proceeded to reshape Europe. The wooden… Continue reading
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‘Mrs Bone was singing in the shower’: PM’s EU speech delights Tory MPs
David Cameron should savour today as the moment he finally satisfied Mrs Bone. I’ve been calling round Tory MPs, and Peter Bone, often a thorn in the flesh of the… Continue reading
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David Cameron puts Nick Clegg on the spot
Downing Street always hoped that once David Cameron had given his Europe speech, the pressure would shift on to the other party leaders. They believed that once Cameron had committed… Continue reading
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Cameron’s red meat EU speech: five key points
Cameron has finished delivering his ‘red meat’ speech on the European Union and answering questions from journalists. You can read the full text here, but here are five key points… Continue reading
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David Cameron’s EU speech: full text
This morning I want to talk about the future of Europe. But first, let us remember the past. Seventy years ago, Europe was being torn apart by its second catastrophic… Continue reading
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David Cameron’s EU speech: the Coffee House guide
Downing Street has tonight released the following extracts from David Cameron’s speech on the European Union, which he will deliver tomorrow at 8am. Here’s your guide to what we know… Continue reading
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The Labour MPs who could make trouble for Ed Miliband on Europe
So the Prime Minister’s speech is, as James hinted yesterday, going to be on Wednesday, and in London to avoid any further strikes of the Curse of Tutancameron’s Europe speech.… Continue reading
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Liam Fox: I’d vote to leave the EU
Not that it’s a great surprise, but Liam Fox has come out as an out-er – i.e., he’d vote to leave the European Union if it cannot be reformed. He… Continue reading
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