It’s buffoonish to believe that the statist will easily give up statism.
These post enlightenment throwback regressives will throw everything in their playbook at you in order to keep their grip on power. Big government, and even bigger government, is always their agenda, the people…..nothing more than mere pawns to manipulate.
NOTE: The EU is nothing more than a crony (corporate welfare) enterprise working at the behest of the neo-aristocracy.
So much for a free debate on the EU: Ministers hit the airwaves to back Brussels…while Eurosceptic colleagues are still gagged
Free debate: Downing Street was accused of a referendum stitch-up after ministers made pro-EU statements in public, while Eurosceptics face the sack if they speak in favour of leaving
- The Foreign Secretary said he ‘can’t envisage’ campaigning to leave the EU
- Treasury Secretary Greg Hands also praised EU rules on free movement
- Eurosceptics are unhappy they face the sack if they speak in favour of exit
- But their pro-European colleagues are free to speak out in favour of staying
Downing Street was accused of a referendum stitch-up last night after the Foreign Secretary declared that he ‘can’t envisage’ campaigning to leave the EU.
Philip Hammond, a one-time Eurosceptic, said he was confident that the Prime Minister would secure a good deal to remain in the Brussels club, which he would then back.
At the same time, Treasury Secretary Greg Hands extolled the virtues of EU rules on free movement, saying migrant workers are a ‘fantastic thing to have’.
Eurosceptic ministers are unhappy that – while colleagues are free to make pro-EU comments – they face the sack if they speak in favour of leaving. So-called ‘collective responsibility’ on the topic will only be lifted once the Prime Minister’s negotiations are complete in February or March.
In the meantime, any minister who publicly criticises the renegotiation or speaks in favour of Britain leaving could be disciplined. Tory high command is issuing regular instructions on ‘lines to take’ which Eurosceptics claim have a pro-EU bias.
Insiders also claim that junior ministers are being licensed to make media comments on the benefits of EU membership. And Whitehall departments have been told to drum up stories which suggest membership helps Britain, sources said.
Eurosceptic ministers say the situation gives the Government time in which it can make the case for remaining in the EU without answer. Last night Robert Oxley, of Vote Leave, said: ‘It’s unacceptable that Eurosceptic ministers are gagged, while the Government machine is being deployed in favour of staying in.’
Yesterday, Mr Hammond said he ‘can’t envisage’ breaking ranks to campaign against EU membership if Mr Cameron secures a renegotiation deal. The Foreign Secretary – who has previously said he would back a ‘Brexit’ if the relationship does not change – told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘Our first challenge is to get the right deal, and we are making good progress on that. I can’t envisage us negotiating a deal which the Prime Minister thinks is good enough to recommend to the British people and which I feel I want to campaign against.’
Significantly, his remarks were immediately seized upon by the Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, which said they were a ‘significant blow’ to the leave groups.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond (pictured), a one-time Eurosceptic, said he was confident that the Prime Minister would secure a good deal to remain in the Brussels club, which he would then back
