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The row over the fate of the unloved Euro-Constitution repeats the Dear Parrot sketch in Monty Python’s Other Flying Circus. When he brought the good news to the House Jack Straw played not John Cleese but the parrot, which he came to praise not to bury. No unseemly rejoicing, though Jack is as much relieved as anyone. No death certificate. Merely a postponement of the Referendum Bill.
Thus we enter a period of Euro-double talk. Brussels will hold séances to communicate with the parrot, Euro-enthusiasts will claim that its death was nothing to do with the EU but dominated by domestic matters. Everyone will cast around for ways to bring the parrot back through the back door. France and Germany will put the pressure on us to ratify in the hope of getting concessions on the rebate and other issues. This will last until the smell of parrot death pervades every room in Brussels.
One of Jack`s back door proposals was that we should increase the power of Parliament by giving it co-decision making on Euro directives and a yellow card system of rejecting them if two thirds of Parliament want.
This is a con. Parliament can already do that in theory. It never uses its power to reject because it`s is controlled by government. If government agrees to directives Parliament aint going to reject them. Other European Parliaments may be less docile than ours but the British is Blair’s poodle. Unless and until we get Proportional Representation to ensure that the wishes of the people prevail. I don’t think Tony’s anywhere near giving us that.
One consequence of the constitutional farce is to bring Tony Blair back from the dead. He no longer has to lead a referendum and then go because he loses it. He can devote himself to putting Humpty-Europe back together and leading it in a new British, and economically liberal direction.
That’s the role Peter Mandelson has picked out for him. He’ll modestly embark on it when he becomes President next month. It’s not exactly that the public want but will keep him off the streets of Britain. Even better, it’s a job that will never get done. That will provide him with years of excuses for not handing over to Gordon.
We seem to be heading for another row over select committees. Once again Gwyneth Dunwoody won`t be forced out. Once again the government is keen to fill the committee with party hacks and has work is much the most interesting and satisfactory parts of Parliament. At times it`s the only beens, and put failed Ministers in the chairs.
It’s a tragedy. Select committee possibility of either. Yet government is always anxious to pull their teeth and staff them with trusties who won`t say boo to a goose.
This has been policy every since Tony took over. Despite his friendly, open demeanor our Divine Leader is a good hater. He never forgives a criticism and trusts only his old mates and young acolytes.
Not that he personally does the dirty work. Whips and apparatchaps rush to do what they think the leader wants and do down anyone who criticises, rebels, or looks unreliable. Hilary Armstrong doggedly does her duty, seeing that no critic prospers and using the select committees as patronage to reward the loyal, reject the critical.
Thus Keynesians and critics are kept off the Treasury Committee. Diane Abbott, who was already on, was shunted off as soon as she made the mistake of nominating two committees on her preferred list, not just the one she was on. Brian Sedgemore was thrown off. I was bluntly told that I hadn`t a snowball in hell’s chance of getting back there. New Labour prefers sheep to independent thinking. That’s what you get when only the Good Shepherd knows the way.
Our great attraction of being an MP is a ringside seat on history. That was made abundantly clear on Monday when former US Defence Secretary, Robert McNamara, addressed a packed meeting in his campaign to get rid of nuclear weapons.
They’ve receded from the issue list now the Cold War is over but, as he warned us, there are still more than enough to destroy the world several times over.
As long as we keep them we can hardly stop others getting them, we have to embark on the huge expense of updating them, and at some stage one of the thousands in store will accidentally go off. It ws a powerful speech which will help bring back to the forefront the one issue I`ve never really understood. Why do we in Britain need a nuclear deterrent? Who are we going to use it against? How much is it going to cost to re-equip with up-to-date delivery systems?
Where are CND now that we need them? |
