iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app More

The Deep Eurosceptic Links In Almost Every Government Department

David Cameron Europe

Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 20/10/2011 14:15 Updated: 20/12/2011 09:12

Amazing
 Inspiring
 Funny
 Scary
 Hot
 Crazy
 Important
 Weird

The Conservatives have always been divided over Europe - and a three line whip from their party to vote down a chance to hold a public referendum on Europe has led to threats of a "mutiny". Tory sources have predicted that ministerial aides will resign over the issue, telling Huff Post UK that "people may well be surprised" by who goes.

The eurosceptics go beyond the usual suspects, such as influential backbencher Mark Pritchard who this morning said the issue was about "country first, party second and career last." A number of government special advisers have been associated with think-tanks and campaigns against the UK's membership of the EU - and two current ministers, Alan Duncan and David Willetts, also rebelled against John Major's government over the Maastricht Treaty.

While some in the prime minister's office, such as Ed Llewellyn, are though to be pro-Europe, his advisers Steve Hilton and Gabby Bertin are thought to be skeptical. Last week it was revealed Bertin had worked for the right-wing group Atlantic Bridge, and Hilton has called for the UK to pull out of Europe.

Iain Duncan Smith's special adviser formerly worked for the Taxpayers' Alliance, who have mounted strong campaigns against EU waste.

Paul Stephenson, a newly appointed department of health special adviser was head of research at Open Europe, a think-tank which calls for "radical reform" of the EU.

FOLLOW HUFFPOST UK POLITICS

The Conservatives have always been divided over Europe - and a three line whip from their party to vote down a chance to hold a public referendum on Europe has led to threats of a "mutiny". Tory sourc...
The Conservatives have always been divided over Europe - and a three line whip from their party to vote down a chance to hold a public referendum on Europe has led to threats of a "mutiny". Tory sourc...
Related News On Huffington Post:
 

David Willetts To Announce Plan For Privately Financed Science Universities Iain Duncan Smith: Benefits System Is Morally Wrong IDS Threat To Quit: I Won't Vote Against My Eurosceptic Principles Again, Warns Ex-leader Cameron Wins Vote On European Referendum Mark Pritchard Threatens To Rebel Against Cameron On EU Referendum Vote Ed Miliband To Join David Cameron In Vote Against EU Referendum Fundraisers Of Liam Fox's Friend Revealed Labour MP Anas Sarwar Urges Electoral Commission To Investigate Liam Fox Row Labour MP Anas Sarwar Urges Electoral Commission To Investigate Liam Fox Row Liam Fox - Explanations For Adam Werritty Offered By Anonymous Backer As Labour Ask For Investigation Liam Fox Resigns Amid Controversy Surrounding Access To MOD By Friend Adam Werritty EC President: EU May Require Treaty Change To Cope With Crisis Tory Leader In Europe Advises Activists To 'Spend A Penny' On Chris Huhne's Book Party Conference Wrap - Flat.. Flat.. Cat
Read more from Huffington Post bloggers:
Mark Seddon

Mark Seddon: The European Elephant in Ed's Room

Ed should, since the YouGov poll makes it absolutely clear that Labour voters - and many of the five million lost working class Labour voters are absolutely clear
Iain Anderson

Iain Anderson: Lib Dems Need Conference Reminder of how far They Have Come

So Birmingham beckons and the Liberal Democrat conference where the party looks to 'celebrate' 500 days in power. Well that's not quite true. Some of the party will be celebrating and others would rather be 'commiserating'.

 
 
  • Comments
  • 5
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Bloggers
Recency  | 
Popularity
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
TheCycad
Shape The Future, Don't Be Swept Away By It
243 Fans
07:10 PM on 10/23/2011
*(at the very most)
Permalink  |
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
TheCycad
Shape The Future, Don't Be Swept Away By It
243 Fans
07:10 PM on 10/23/2011
is anyone actually surprised by what's happening to the EU right now? the whole idea of the EU seemed like a bad idea at the outset... now it is just finally being demonstrated.

They need to drop Greece, drop Italy, and focus on the core of continental Europe, plus Scandinavia and the great Britain-- And that is that the very most.

Germany is holding them all afloat.
Permalink  |
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
858 Fans
07:36 PM on 10/23/2011
The Cycad, faved.  I was getting an MBA when the idea of euro first came out (early 80s), and we all tossed it in the cr*pper; with such varying economies and no fiscal controls, you'd lose the ability to devalue a currency based on an individual country's fiscal irresponsibility. I lived in FR briefly right before, and haven't been back; but I never turned in my francs, drachma, lire, etc. (optimism springs eternal.)

The only Scandanavian country in Eurozone is Finland, and their folks aren't happy with the bailouts (neither are FR, DE citizens according to latest EU and country polls.)  Sweden, Denmark are permanently exempt from joining eurozone.  Norway sends 0 funds to EU as they aren't members of EU:  they 'pick and choose' and only agree by independent treaty to what they do.  That's the big problem; without those three economically very strong countries in eurozone, no eurozone tax to save the euro will be big enough to actually do it (big question is whether any eurozone tax plan is big enough, and no one is saying it's possible; too many bad economies.) 

If the PIIGS leave, you lose the the debt but also the most most governmentally, economically and technologically advanced countries in eurozone;  FR, DE, NE, FI would bear the entire brunt of keeping euro alive with many needy countries, and that's just not enough. If GR leaves, it will still sink, the banks will be hit hard in FR, DE and that will contaminate the rest.  It's a domino effect.

Euro is like Titanic; any way you look at those 8 flooded compartments, anything you try to do, it has to go down.
Permalink  |
photo
HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Lawyer13
retired Lawyer, General and Psychiatric Nurse, wit
8251 Fans
 
06:29 PM on 10/23/2011
Three line whip or not; it will make no difference which ever way the vote on an EU referendum will make no difference as it is not official Government business, and yet again the aspirations of the electorate will be frustrated.
Permalink  |
Dunnemarogra
105 Fans
 
02:24 AM on 10/23/2011
There is No need for a Referendum on the European Union in the Uk.

Why you may ask the Referendums to join and all the other treatys signed that take power from the UK and transfers them to Brussels is Anti-Democratic in themselves.

A National Parliament by and for the People. 1 Person 1 Vote. That is what Democracy is.

Can Countries have treaties like Free-Trade and other things of course they can and meetings at the United Nations.

But the EU crosses the line into National Sovereignty. So therefore any legislaton from the EU Parliament, European Courts, Bigger EU Countries telling others what to do, The Commission. All these layers are clearly dictatoral and So is not legitimate with Democracy.

So we should just leave the EU not have a referendum on it as the Referendum wouldnt be Democratic in the first place.
Permalink  |