Edward McMillan-Scott's letter informing David Cameron why he is no longer pursuing he appeal against expulsion from the Conservative party contains three reasons which really condemn.
Here it is in full.
12 March 2010
Dear David,
I am resigning today from my appeal against expulsion from the Conservative party and from the party itself to join the Liberal Democrats for three reasons:
1. I have been around the higher circles of the party long enough, most recently serving on both the Euro-election and general election strategy committees at CCHQ, to know that Euroscepticism is in the hearts of most Conservatives. Your decision to split from the mainstream EPP and create the new ECR group has been universally condemned, even by rightwing commentators such as the Economist as a "shoddy, shaming alliance". You say you will not "bang on about Europe" and your spokesman make warm noises. But I fear that on Europe you say one thing in opposition and will do another in government.
2. You continue to refuse to accept that Michał Kamiński, who now leads the ECR and against whom I stood and won re-election as vice-president of the European parliament last July, has had "antisemitic, homophobic and racist links". You say that you are against extremism at home, yet you propitiate it abroad.
3. My family, friends and those who work with me will all confirm that I have sought in good faith an amicable resolution of my dispute at all levels in the party. I have written to you on several occasions without a reply and have pursued the appeal process to which you submitted me in the diminishing expectation of fairness. I have stated my case modestly in the media. Last weekend your lawyers made clear that the appeal would continue to be rigged by you, despite your public pretensions to decency and fairness. As my friend Henry Porter put it in the Observer, your response has been "thuggish and panicky". You say one thing in public and do another in private.
My reasons for joining the Liberal Democrats are that in Nick Clegg they have a leader whom I like, admire and respect. They are internationalists, not nationalists. They are committed to politics based [on] the values of fairness and change, but you are committed to power for its own sake.
Yours sincerely,
Edward McMillan-Scott MEP
Vice-president of the European parliament, responsible for democracy and human rights
See also George Lyon's guest post from last night.
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!
ReplyDeleteMcMillan-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.
David I have read and reread the above numerous times and I cannot disecern a clarity of thought in it. I.ndeed I fear you are mixing up your parties through it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, not only will I be voting for the Liberal Democrats, but I will continue as I have done over the past 20 odd years continue to shape and vote on Lib Dem policy and to defend and stand on it. Much of which it is clear you disagree with, but I believe in a liberty for all, whereas you appear to define norms by you own narrow understanding.