http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/2009/03/31/forcing-europe-onto-the-agenda/ Daily commentary from Civitas researchers Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:39:34 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/2009/03/31/forcing-europe-onto-the-agenda/comment-page-1/#comment-821 G Heath Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:14:05 +0000 http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/?p=842#comment-821 I agree with Mr Worthy. Politicians have had to paint themselves into awkward people-ignoring corners since Ted Heath's time, in the same way they paint themselves into corners now over climate change - we know they're both hoaxes and failures but who's going to admit either? Given that jobs and trade both improve as soon as we leave the EU, it is inevitable that we will do so, but a healthy vote for any party that says it will give us a referendum on getting out is the only way to get the main parties to pay any attention to us. I do not understand why Mr Wheeler says he will vote Conservaive at the general election, they do not deserve him. I agree with Mr Worthy. Politicians have had to paint themselves into awkward people-ignoring corners since Ted Heath’s time, in the same way they paint themselves into corners now over climate change – we know they’re both hoaxes and failures but who’s going to admit either? Given that jobs and trade both improve as soon as we leave the EU, it is inevitable that we will do so, but a healthy vote for any party that says it will give us a referendum on getting out is the only way to get the main parties to pay any attention to us. I do not understand why Mr Wheeler says he will vote Conservaive at the general election, they do not deserve him.

]]> http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/2009/03/31/forcing-europe-onto-the-agenda/comment-page-1/#comment-817 Ken Worthy Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:03:41 +0000 http://www.civitas.org.uk/wordpress/?p=842#comment-817 Politicians always like to claim that European election results are about national issues. It helps them to ignore the consistently anti-EU results shown in successive European elections. On the contrary, European elections are the only elections where voters seem to feel it is legitimate to raise EU concerns and to vote accordingly. The coming elections are very important, in that the public in effect has a chance to give the politicians the EU referendum they have been denied. A substantial vote for parties which promise a referendum on the Lisbion Treaty, whether or not it has been ratified by the other countries, will send a strong message to the politicians. It remains to be seen whether the Conservatives will form part of this group. So far the signs are not good. Politicians always like to claim that European election results are about national issues. It helps them to ignore the consistently anti-EU results shown in successive European elections. On the contrary, European elections are the only elections where voters seem to feel it is legitimate to raise EU concerns and to vote accordingly. The coming elections are very important, in that the public in effect has a chance to give the politicians the EU referendum they have been denied. A substantial vote for parties which promise a referendum on the Lisbion Treaty, whether or not it has been ratified by the other countries, will send a strong message to the politicians. It remains to be seen whether the Conservatives will form part of this group. So far the signs are not good.

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