Stay Ahead

A Conservative commitment to an EU referendum is being touted by those who want it to be true. Even if it were, which it is not, then that would only be playing catch-up with Labour.

By 2015, it is more than plausible that Labour, which has never been dogmatic about the EU since it stopped being dogmatically hostile 25 years ago, might want a vote to pull out. Whereas the Conservative Party will never, ever take that view.

As for taking the wind out of the sails of UKIP, what wind? UKIP has never won a Westminster seat, and this year it failed to pick up single council seat despite having had the money to fight more than there being contested. If its support is that dispersed, then it is not worth worrying about.

And if this were to have the desired effect, UKIP really would stand exposed just a collection of people who imagine that the Conservatives used to be something entirely different from what they have ever really been.

The UKIP lot have always missed being "Tories", and they are, apparently, preparing to disband in return for the tiniest excuse to go home. They know perfectly well that no such commitment would be honoured, but they don't care. They just want to be "Tories" again.

If you want an In/Out referendum, then, as in 1974, there is only one way of getting it. The same way, in fact, as in 1974. Which Eurosceptical commentator has the gumption of Enoch Powell? Has any of them?