Seeing Mr Blair on his soap box today reminds me of the old joke; ‘How do you know when a politician is being disingenuous’? He has his mouth open.
To get back power from a Conservative administration who were very split on European Membership in 1997, the Labour Party under Blair pledged to put the EU constitution (replaced by the Lisbon Treaty) to the British people in a referendum – but it wasn’t, and was signed by a Labour Prime Minister, who statesman-like snuck in late via the back door, to miss the earlier big members congratulatory photoshoot.
So lets look at what Blair said and what he means;
“Mr Miliband is his own man in not offering one”
- Blair meant; that he is running scared of Scotland, Wales, the Trade Unions and everyone else who wants the ‘security’ of an economic bailout when socialism spends ‘everyone eleses money’ – as we did in 1976, when a Labour government had to ask the International Monetaty Fund (IMF) for a £££ bailout.
”Do we really think this is the time in which to put into play our very membership of the European Union, the largest commercial market and most developed political union in the world? And the one on our doorstep?”
- Blair meant; After 13-years of Labour in power the UK was doing more business with Ireland than the 2.5 billion people in the emerging Brazil/Russia/India/China nations, and while it may be our main trading partner and STILL trying to emerge from the recession, whether Greece screws it up this week or not, we have to hang on to this bureaucratic entity no matter what, as a ‘superstate’ alwwyas means top table jobs for the boys.
” So think about that vote on May 7. Think of the consequences of a re-elected Tory Government making the central question of the next parliament whether we get out of Europe. Think about the risk. Think about our past and our future.”
- Blair meant; Forget around 70% of the FTSE 100 Chairman think that a May 2015 Labour (SNP combo) would be an economic “catastrophe” and the 2010 Labour employment ‘experts’ said we’d lose 1 million job by following non-socialist policies when we have GAINED nearly 2 million,
”And the oddest thing of all about David Cameron's position? The PM doesn't really believe we should leave Europe; not even the Europe as it is today.”
- Blair meant; Cameron DOES believe in the UK staying in a REFORMED socialist Europe, otherwise the EU will drag us down to the pre 2010 Labour UK and current low growth/high unemployment French and Italian levels – so with the mandate of a UK referendum in 2017 and the EU still economically tanking, they should be receptive to our economic example.
After all, Mr Blair is an expect of ‘friendly’ EU negotiation; he was the man who tried to horse trade with France - they should reduce EU Farm Subsidies, we hand back some of Thatcher’s ‘handbaged’ Contribution Rebates – yet he handed back a large chunk of our rebate, and got diddly squat back in return.
Mr Blair is giving up his ‘Middle East Peace Envoy’ job, by Middle East popular demand – so when looking for another job, one wonders if he is continuing his past services TO THE EU, rather than thinking UK and endorse the Miliband/Balls team, so similar in 'playing well with each others', to the Blair/Brown one. lol
!997 New Labour or a 1970's style Old Labour, some things stay the same.