EU-hostiles v EU-pragmatists – Today’s Conservative Party
In 1993, when 41 Conservative MPs defied the whip by voting against the Maastricht Treaty, the Party was split between ‘Euro-philes’ and ‘Euro-Sceptics.’ As Philip Cowley and Mark Stewart point out in...
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Referendums: What are the lessons from history?
People who want change tend to call for referendums. People who oppose change tend to win them. The European referendum of 1975 was a concession to Tony Benn and the then-dominant mood of the Labour...
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The Royal Succession and the EU
Months ago, the Tory Reform Group invited George Eustice MP to come and talk to one of our regular policy suppers about his new European policy group. Entirely by accident, I have to confess, the event...
View ArticleTaking the fight to the Nationalists
Who governs Britain? According to the SNP, they are the sole voice of the Scottish people, and have a mandate to have an independence referendum. The British Government, despite what its name may...
View ArticleFull-spectrum Conservatism
I must confess to finding the whole EU debate rather esoteric and often a bit pointless. By far the most important piece of information we’ve had today – electoral or otherwise – is the encouraging...
View ArticleWhy trusting people means more than just a referendum
Over the weekend, I kept hearing Conservatives saying, Labour will do anything for the working class except trust them in a referendum (or similar), I suspect largely based on Fraser Nelson’s very good...
View ArticleHaribo and Nespresso or hard work and persuasion?
David Cameron’s big speech on Europe last month was the culmination of months (actually probably years) of calculation and work. The speech itself was not the point, nor indeed was the policy of a...
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Politics and Digital: Can do better
When I got home last night there was a letter waiting for me from my Council. Would I like to vote in local referendum on Heathrow Expansion? Why not. Offer the politico a polling booth and he will...
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What really matters?
The front page story of the Telegraph on Saturday had an extraordinary snippet: Frank Luntz, an American polling expert, visited Downing Street and addressed a group of advisers. The friend said: “The...
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Scottish independence to guarantee England-only Tory majorities? Pure jobby!
The idea that if Scotland plumps for independence in 2014, the remaining England-dominated UK would have Tory majorities forever, is factually dubious. But even if it weren’t, it’s a shabby sort of...
View ArticleOne Nation, Clacton, and the lesson of the Yes campaign
I’ve been having a bit of a rest from writing here for the last few months. But I have very much enjoyed Matthew Parris’ last two Saturday columns in particular, and as a Scot living in London I am...
View ArticleIs it time to resurrect the Invitation to Join the Government of Britain?
As a Scot living in London, I’m so pleased my fellow countrymen chose to keep our Union. But 45% wanted to leave – that’s a big proportion. Despite the emotion of recent weeks, there are also plenty of...
View ArticleThe pro-European argument against mass migration
Despite the Prime Minister’s best efforts, net migration to the UK rose to 260,000 in the year to June, an increase of 78,000 on the previous year. There is no doubt that EU migrants have had a...
View ArticleEU-hostiles v EU-pragmatists – Today’s Conservative Party
In 1993, when 41 Conservative MPs defied the whip by voting against the Maastricht Treaty, the Party was split between ‘Euro-philes’ and ‘Euro-Sceptics.’ As Philip Cowley and Mark Stewart point out in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Referendums: What are the lessons from history?
People who want change tend to call for referendums. People who oppose change tend to win them. The European referendum of 1975 was a concession to Tony Benn and the then-dominant mood of the Labour...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Royal Succession and the EU
Months ago, the Tory Reform Group invited George Eustice MP to come and talk to one of our regular policy suppers about his new European policy group. Entirely by accident, I have to confess, the event...
View ArticleThe Big Debate: The Positive Case for Europe
Part of our 2015 Party Conference Programme. This debate will tackle head on the positive case for Britain staying in the EU, with speakers both for and against. Should the United Kingdom stay as a...
View ArticleThe EU Referendum – TRG Membership Survey
The TRG recently conducted an email survey of its membership asking for their opinions on the Prime Minister’s EU renegotiation priorities as well as their current voting intentions in the upcoming EU...
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Brexit Select Committee: a voyage into the unknown
Exiting the European Union Committee Last week marked the first meeting of the Select Committee on Exiting the European Union. Whilst I make no secret of this being the one committee I neither hoped...
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