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The Eurofarce of passing the constitution which isn’t a constitution grinds on. Day Eight in the Death of Self Government.
Different days. Same farce. For four and a bit hours we debate a government vision of the wonderful things to be achieved by that days’ slice of treaty on stopping global warming; saving the world from want; maintaining peace (particularly on Wednesdays); getting late library books returned or keeping cows sacred by the CAP.
The Tories move an amendment saying it’s hell in there; the flower of English womanhood will be ravished; or postal offices will close; British hens will cease to lay (unlike the flower of English womanhood) and foreigners will leach on our NHS now. Then there follows a couple of hours devoted to amendments to the treaty which couldn’t be implemented if they won the vote. It’s a done deal and we’re not allowed to back it. Except to worship.
The audience for this is small. On the one hand the Euro-Fools; ex Euro MPs and officials (for which IQ qualifications must be low); a few fanatics, like the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and supplements for the Charlemagne Prince (awarded annually for the biggest act of prostituting one’s country to the EU) like Denis Macshane, who knows more about Europe and makes less sense of it than anyone outside Brussels.
They all speak to a script: the EU is the greatest, and the best. Its officials are the brightest and best or the sons of the morning, Brits should have confidence and trust. It’s our mission to help Ireland, Spain and the rag tag and bobtail of Eastern Europe.
On the other side: the massed ranks of Bill Cash who speaks at length. A few grumpy malcontents like me and Gwyneth Dunwoody get in bits. Kelvin Hopkins lobs in inconvenient facts.
Front bench speeches on our side range between pathetic and barely adequate. On the other they’re brilliant (if it’s William Hague) or collections of quotes from our ministers saying the treaty is an abomination before they signed it.
The contrast is embarrassing. But illustrative. The “constitution” is an embarrassment for our ministers. They don’t like it. But they’ve got to fudge it through. The Tories detest it but haven’t the foggiest what they’ll do if they win. As for the Liberals, they think it’s wonderful. They’ll make any sacrifice of sense of principle or democracy to get it through.
That, Dear Blog persons, is how we’re spending our days giving up our powers as MPs, our ability to influence policy for our constituents, and our freedom to run our defence, health and social for our purposes. A sad story.
I vow to thee my Europe
All earthly powers above
Entire and whole and perfect
The Service of my love
The love that asks no questions
The love that stands the test
That lays upon the altar
The dearest and the best
(McShane Psalter)
There may be another country’s view heard of long ago. But it’s dead now. Felo de se.
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