Saturday 3 November 2012

Clegg does not speak for the UK on Europe


Are you listening Dave?



Nick Clegg tells us that there is no prospect of cutting the EU budget because the other member states would “simply not have it”. But why take such a defeatist attitude? Are the Lib Dems yellow? The simple fact is that taxpayers across the whole EU are fed up with the burgeoning bureaucracy and wastefulness of the EU machine. The EU has only become an apparently unstoppable juggernaut because weaselly politicians like Nick Clegg have allowed it and actively encouraged it. The people of Europe have not had their say. When the citizens of France, Netherlands and Ireland had a rare opportunity to vote on the constitutional issue, they voted “no”. Their wishes were then ignored.

Let us not forget Nick Clegg’s blatant dishonesty on Europe. In the Lib Dem 2005 manifesto, Clegg promised that any change to the EU constitution “must be subject to a referendum of the British people”. (Page 13, Europe). But when push came to shove, Clegg ordered his troops to allow Gordon Brown to bulldoze the Lisbon Treaty through Parliament without a referendum. Clegg had the opportunity to block Brown by voting with the Tories, but chose not to - thereby breaking his own manifesto promise.

Now Clegg tells us we can’t repatriate any powers. The fact that he personally conspired with Labour to hand more powers to the EU in the first place is conveniently forgotten.

Similarly, Labour has nothing to feel proud about in their new and wholly unconvincing conversion to EU frugality. Although Labour joined Tory ‘rebels’ in supporting an EU budget cut, it was pure humbug. The last Labour government gave away our rebate, getting nothing in return. Has Labour apologised to British taxpayers? Hardly!

While national budgets continue to be slashed, it is totally unacceptable for the EU to increase its budget, wasting even more of our money. The fact that the EU’s accounts have not been signed off by the auditors for many years really tells us everything we need to know.

It’s totally dishonest to suggest that it’s just British voters complaining again. If the citizens of all the European nations were allowed to have any say, the result would be the same.

It’s time for some strong leadership. But that’s not going to happen with this useless coalition.

UK citizens have been badly let down. The Tories are trailing behind in the polls with UKIP looking to take even more votes at the next election. The Tory Rebels clearly know something that the leadership doesn’t.

Are you listening Dave?

Clegg: Repatriation of EU powers is a false promise. (Clegg knows all about false promises!)

John Redwood's riposte to Clegg: