"Clarke and other members of the group also attacked their eurosceptic colleagues, with the Minister Without Portfolio describing them as ‘some of my more strident, and dare I say, even occasionally eccentric colleagues who I’ve seen over the years become household names for a year or two, whilst they last and then others take over and succeed them’. Laura Sandys, who organised the launch, added that ‘it is those people who’ve got a loud voice on the sidelines that seem to gain traction’. And Ben Wallace (Clarke’s PPS) ridiculed the idea that Conservative associations are quite so aggressive on this issue as some of his colleagues might think, arguing that those who made the loudest noises about Europe tended to find that their constituencies contained a strong swell of support for Ukip."
Exactly.
It is over 20 years since the media decided that the comedy characters of Conservative opposition to Maastricht were far more entertaining on television than the three times more numerous, but intellectually serious, Labour opponents.
Nine MPs lost the Conservative Whip over the European Finance Bill, and one of those had voted in favour of it. Whereas 44 Labour MPs had voted against that Bill, and not one Labour MP had voted for it. Not a single, solitary one.
The nine were all over the airwaves for years thereafter until five of them, over half the total, lost their seats in 1997. The 44 might as well not have existed, for all the coverage that they were able to secure.
The same had been true of the 66 Labour votes against Maastricht, which had been opposed by a mere 22 Conservatives. Again, no Labour MP had voted in favour of Maastricht.
In this Parliament, the number of Conservative MPs who voted for a real-terms reduction in the British contribution to the EU Budget was smaller than the number of Liberal Democrats in the House of Commons.
Whereas every Labour MP voted for that reduction. Every single one.
But Tony Marlow and Teresa Gormon made great, if lightweight, telly in the 1990s, while Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries make great, if lightweight, telly now.
Ken Clarke's view on Europe is, has always been, and will always be that of the mainstream Right in every actual or aspirant EU country. Including this one.
Why would it not be? And observably, it is.
Exactly.
It is over 20 years since the media decided that the comedy characters of Conservative opposition to Maastricht were far more entertaining on television than the three times more numerous, but intellectually serious, Labour opponents.
Nine MPs lost the Conservative Whip over the European Finance Bill, and one of those had voted in favour of it. Whereas 44 Labour MPs had voted against that Bill, and not one Labour MP had voted for it. Not a single, solitary one.
The nine were all over the airwaves for years thereafter until five of them, over half the total, lost their seats in 1997. The 44 might as well not have existed, for all the coverage that they were able to secure.
The same had been true of the 66 Labour votes against Maastricht, which had been opposed by a mere 22 Conservatives. Again, no Labour MP had voted in favour of Maastricht.
In this Parliament, the number of Conservative MPs who voted for a real-terms reduction in the British contribution to the EU Budget was smaller than the number of Liberal Democrats in the House of Commons.
Whereas every Labour MP voted for that reduction. Every single one.
But Tony Marlow and Teresa Gormon made great, if lightweight, telly in the 1990s, while Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries make great, if lightweight, telly now.
Ken Clarke's view on Europe is, has always been, and will always be that of the mainstream Right in every actual or aspirant EU country. Including this one.
Why would it not be? And observably, it is.
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