In what I sense will be the first of many postings about this man, the letter to Klaus is described by the Tory press office as ‘a private letter’ setting out what has long been David Cameron’s public view. Not in any way a sly and underhand attempt to upset the Lisbon Treaty then.
Shirley Williams, who knows a thing or two about politics has this to say: ”I think the Conservatives are going to walk into an absolute maelstrom of trouble if they win. They are not at all cohesive on their economic policy and, more importantly, they are in dead trouble over Europe. When Cameron starts trying to get more John Major-style opt-outs, he’s going to get a very dusty answer, because the European leaders have had it up to here with us. Most of his ideas are going to be rejected, and the temptation for him will then be to say, ‘We want an in/out referendum.’ The consequences of that will have to be seen to be believed.”
Politics has been reduced to some kind of dreadful reality show, no substance, no policies, just opportunistic pronouncements calculated to manoevre the public into placing their grimy thumbprint in the box marked ‘Conservative’. Coming up to Christmas, stand by for Cameron’s carefully worded, content free, opinions on child poverty, hunting and pensioners.
One thing we won’t get is anything resembling a committment to a policy that will make a positive difference.
TROGLODYTE n. Specifically, a cave-dweller of the paleolithic period, after the Tree and before the Flat. A famous community of troglodytes dwelt with David in the Cave of Adullam. The colony consisted of “every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented” — in brief, all the Socialists of Judah.
