The Tories & Europe

The Economist magazine suggests that the Eurosceptic wing of the Conservative party is showing a certain lack of maturity in its article on the Tories in Europe under the heading Oh Grow up in the October 29th, 2011 edition.
In referring to the motion in the House of Commons on whether a referendum should be held asking if the country should remain in the European Union (EU), leave, or renegotiate the terms of its membership, the Economist finds this unreasonable. Even though the motion was defeated, almost 50% of Conservative backbenchers refused to toe the party line in voting for the motion.
The timing of the debate itself could also be viewed as damaging to the international reputation of the third largest member of the EU with its suggestion of opportunism, rather than demonstrating full support for its single largest trading partner the Eurozone during its current crisis. Instead of posturing in seeming isolation it should not be forgotten that it takes two sides to have a negotiation, if Conservative Eurosceptics really believe that they can win back concessions such as repatriating powers over e.g. social and employment rules, without a corresponding cost which would further weaken the influence of the UK over events within the EU.
Still, if this is all part of some grand scheme to return the EU to its original form as the largest and richest common market in the world and within which the UK would more freely and competitively trade its goods and services, these same Eurosceptics should not be diverted by other populist causes such as repatriation of the powers of the Human Rights Act!

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