Hobson's Choice
They won't of course, but this Sunday evening, the Tories should be quietly grateful for Ukip' s challenge during the Euro elections. Ukip has pointed out the absurdity of the Tories' policy towards the European Union: an absurdity, which should have been spotted and junked after the 1997 election. The idea that any UK government can renegotiate any of the EU Treaties is fanciful in a Union of fourteen member states, but with twenty-four the likelihood is as close to zero as it's possible to get. And they don't talk about the consequences of our partners' guaranteed refusal. It's not going to be easy for the Tories. But if they hope to return to the party that enjoyed a longer continuous history than any other European party, they will have to have the European debate Michael Howard hoped could be put off by a policy of "don't ask, don't tell". They can follow the logic of their present position and chase Ukip to the exit door. Or they can ditch the present policies and watch their membership dwindle. That choice is the only realistic one. Stripped of its European fixation, it can become a genuine centre-right party with the possibility of returning to power. Rather than "an offshore pimple on the British body politic" they would surely become were they to follow the alternate route.
posted by Tony @ Thursday, June 10, 2004
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