Ths significance of David Cameron welcoming Roger Helmer back into the Tory fold today cannot be over-stated.
Helmer is on the far right of the Tory Party, committed to taking Britain out of the European Union and supported by people like Lord Tebbit.
His suspension from the Tory group over a year ago re-opened deep splits in the Tory Party over Europe.
When he became Leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron only made one definite pledge - to take his party out of the EPP alliance at the European Union "immediately". Later he said he would do it within weeks - and then he did an embarassing u-turn - which Helmer described as a "betrayal".
Now, rather than show leadership by sticking to his guns, David Cameron has given in to the hard right, welcomed Helmer back and demonstrated that the Tories ain't changed one iota, despite his well-oiled PR machine.
The hard-right are still in the driving seat.
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5 comments:
Can you explain in simple terms what Helmer did to deserve having the whip removed?
I saw a speech of his on a channel with rolling coverage of the EU Parliament. It was electrifying. Roger Helmer's defining stance in Europe is pro-democracy and anti-corruption.
More to the point:
1. What did Roger Helmer do to have the whip restored?
2. Why has David Cameron caved in to pressure from the anti-Europe wing of the Conservative Party rather than show some backbone?
Phil, you don't seem to understand what this whole issue was actually about (I will forgive you since you are a Labour party member and the facts probably do not concern you.)
David Cameron no doubt saw that the whip had been originally unfairly withdrawn and sought to restore it. It had nothing to do with the anti-EU (not anti-Europe - there is a distinct difference) wing of the party (which is in fact a majority of the party and grassroots as well as much of this country.)
anonymous (stiil):
So I've got this wrong then...?
Cameron didn't promise to pull out of the EPP in his bid to win the leadership?
Helmer didn't say it was a betrayal by Cameron when backtracked on his promise?
Helmer isn't a leading light in the "Better off out" brigade?
Cameron didn't use "intense pressure" to force Timothy Kirkhope to restore the whip?
I'd be very interested in the "facts".
You seem to be confusing to completely different issues Phil - that of the EPP withdrawl and that of Roger Helmer and the whip.
The whip was withdrawn from Helmer before Cameron made his EPP pledge. The whip being reinstated and the EPP pledge are two completely different issues.
As is obvious in the 'seal' thread, you do not like it when some has a different opinion to yourself and voices that opinion. We in the Conservative party obviously think differently - and that despite our internal differences of opinion, unjust mistakes should still be righted even if we don't necessarily agree with what that person says.
Try to get these things right before you attempt to make what you think is a smart comment.
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