It is a good line: “From being a liberal Conservative I become a conservative Liberal.”
Euro-MP Edward Mcmillan-Scott has joined the Liberal Democrats. I like Edward (sound on Palestine) but his words are I think very accurate indeed. I think of him as a Heathite Conservative rather than as an instinctive Liberal.
Political parties can often best be judged not by the more temperate views of their leaders but by the opinions of those on the edges. I feel comfortable with the Liberal Democrat ‘grassroots’ but could not stand being amongst their opposite numbers in the Conservative ranks. That McMillan-Scott has ended up in our ranks is a reflection of how uncomfortable a place the Conservative Party now must be for pro-European Tories of liberal inclination.
I shall have to have formal words with Edward in Brussels. As whip to the European parliamentary party my first job will be to make sure that the information on his website and in the register of interests meets our requirements regarding openness and transparency in matters of finance and expenses.
Saturday 13 March 2010
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It is entirely appropriate that, in the week that Clegg declared himself the heir to the Prime Minister who signed the Single European Act, he should welcome Edward McMillan-Scott. Most Tories are Eurosceptics? Pull the other one!
McMillan-Scott did not even oppose the Iraq War, but the Lib Dems will take anyone, from the polling booth to Strasbourg. They are defined by what they are not, rather than by what they are. McMillan-Scott has left the Tories because of their association with Michal Kaminski, who like all their new associates at Strasbourg is far too good for them anyway. Look at the things for which those parties stand. The Tories are no more in agreement with such positions than are the Lib Dems. But the Lib Dems will not even sit next to people who hold such views.
The Tories do not support generous welfare provisions, public services in the public sector, universal healthcare provided by the State, workers’ rights, or the public ownership of important companies. But they will at least sit next to people who do. Edward McMillan-Scott and the rest of the Lib Dems will not even do that. So, if you believe in generous welfare provisions, public services in the public sector, universal healthcare provided by the State, workers’ rights, or the public ownership of important companies, then you cannot and must not vote Lib Dem. You do not need to take my word for this. Just ask Edward McMillan-Scott.
The Tories do not support the safeguarding or restoration of family life in general and paternal authority in particular by the safeguarding or restoration of high-wage, high-skilled, high-status employment such as coal-mining. But they will at least sit next to people who do. Edward McMillan-Scott and the rest of the Lib Dems will not even do that. So, if you believe in the safeguarding or restoration of family life in general and paternal authority in particular by the safeguarding or restoration of high-wage, high-skilled, high-status employment such as coal-mining, then you cannot and must not vote Lib Dem. You do not need to take my word for this. Just ask Edward McMillan-Scott.
The Tories do not support measures for the payment of mothers to stay at home with their children, for adoption and against abortion, for palliative care and against the euthanasia opposed by Gordon Brown, for the traditional marriage supported by Barack Obama (or, at the very least, against compelling anyone to conduct deviations from it), against sex and violence in the media, against State toleration of drugs and prostitution, against unrestricted Sunday trading, or against supermarkets opening on what are supposed to be public holidays for everyone including shop workers. But they will at least sit next to people who do. Edward McMillan-Scott and the rest of the Lib Dems will not even do that. So, if you believe in the payment of mothers to stay at home with their children, in adoption rather than abortion, in palliative care rather than the euthanasia opposed by Gordon Brown, in the traditional marriage supported by Barack Obama (or, at the very least, against compelling anyone to conduct deviations from it), in action against sex and violence in the media, in action against drugs and prostitution, in restrictions on Sunday trading, or in public holidays for everyone including shop workers, then you cannot and must not vote Lib Dem. You do not need to take my word for this. Just ask Edward McMillan-Scott.
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