Sunday 8 November 2009

Janet Daley redefines democracy

Let nobody underestimate what Janet Daley describes as her "visceral feelings" about the European Union. Yet, whether intentionally or not, she provides a marvellously honest encapsulation of the furious impotence of those who share what her "Euroscepticism of apocalyptic dimensions".


Am I satisfied with Mr Cameron's promise of a "referendum lock" on any future infringement of British sovereignty? No, I am not. It is hard to imagine, after Lisbon, what would count as a further substantive infringement of British sovereignty short of an army of Brussels Eurocrats staging a physical occupation of the Palace of Westminster. Am I convinced by his proposal to negotiate opt‑outs on the areas of EU law that materially damage Britain's economic and social life? No, I am not ...


So hadn't we better get out of this place, if its the last thing we ever do?

Erm, not quite.


... but nor do I believe that a referendum on leaving the EU altogether would be won by the "no" vote: the prospect of unilateral withdrawal would be too alarming to too many.


So it turns out that the fundamental block to Daley's argument of the need to recover our extinguished democracy is that she thinks most people disagree with her.

Damn that democracy!

So what's left?


even if your Euroscepticism is, like mine, of apocalyptic dimensions, I would seek to persuade you that voting Conservative is the only conceivable option in the next general election. Partly because Mr Cameron and William Hague genuinely agree with you and will actually dedicate themselves to unravelling what can be unravelled in the great European conspiracy against the people, but also because (dare I say it?) there are other important matters to be considered.


If, as Daley claims, all substantive sovereignty and power has now been extinguished, how on earth could there be? (And if cufflinks Cameron does agree with those who hate the EU, he is planning to have a funny, non-fight picking, way of showing it).

So I wonder if those who lived behind the Iron Curtain two decades ago might just find the conclusion offensive:


On Europe, our hope can only be that the peoples of the EU will one day walk out from under their oppressors, just as the people of the Warsaw Pact walked out from under theirs.


And, if you ever win that argument Janet, there is nothing whatsoever to stop us.

2 comments:

Bearded Socialist said...

she seems nice and balanced. From those quotes she's one of these who believes in democracy for her and opporession for those who disagree.
Reminds me of the recent Have I Got News For You with the Sun's topless EU analyist

Newmania said...

Oh dear dear me Sunder , is that what you think Democracy is , I have dealt witht he imposition of the EU despite the democracy we have recently .

http://iznewmania.blogspot.com/2009/11/unhand-me-sir.html

We get out the way we got in