Bombshell from Liam Fox as political comeback launched
NORTH Somerset MP Liam Fox will today launch his political comeback with a major speech calling for Britain to renegotiate its relationship with the EU.
The former defence secretary's intervention threatens to reopen old and deep wounds within the Conservative Party over Europe.
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Liam Fox
The MP will set out his staunchly eurosceptic credentials when he declares that "life outside the EU holds no terror".
The speech, which will be hosted by campaign group the Taxpayers' Alliance, will be viewed as Dr Fox repositioning himself as a champion of the dissatisfied Tory right.
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It also puts him at loggerheads with the Prime Minister, who is in the awkward position of having to keep his own Eurosceptic backbenchers happy at the same time as not upsetting his pro-Europe Liberal Democrat coalition members.
David Cameron last night tried in vain to satisfy Conservative demands for a referendum on the European Union after declaring that he was prepared to consider the idea – but not yet.
The Prime Minister was accused of offering "jam tomorrow" with his offer to go to the people once Britain's future relationship with Brussels, in the aftermath of the eurozone crisis and further EU integration, becomes clear.
He insisted the pubic did not want an immediate in/out referendum.
However, Dr Fox, who resigned as Defence Secretary last year amid a scandal relating to his relationship with his friend and defence industry lobbyist Adam Werrity, will lead Tory clarion calls for a firm commitment to seeking a change in Britain's relationship with the EU.
The MP, who has long held eurosceptic views, will say: "I would like to see Britain negotiate a new relationship on the basis that, if we achieved it and our future relationship was economic rather than political, we would advocate acceptance in a referendum of this new dynamic.
"If, on the other hand, others would not accede to our requests for a rebalancing in the light of the response to the euro crisis, then we would recommend rejection and potential departure from the EU."
It is a view that is likely to appeal to the Tory rank-and-file.
Nearly 100 Conservative MPs wrote to Mr Cameron recently urging him to make a legal commitment to hold a poll on the UK's relationship with the EU during the next parliament.
Comments
by corncups
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 12:22PM
“Caught fiddling expenses, caught compromising national security with his male 'friend', Werrity, caught working for Israeli extremists at tax-payers expense whilst UK Defence Secretary...
This person should be on trial, rather displaying crass opportunism on behalf of his neo-con masters.”
by green_man
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 10:46AM
“@321stan - Sweden and Finland are EU members http://tinyurl.com/3jsomd9”
by Trymriverman
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 1:48AM
“@stan123 I think you should check up on Sweden & Finland not being EU member states. Also Norway with a population under one tenth of ours but a huge producer of gas and oil is hardly comparable to our UK circumstances. As for the Euro members you mention: imagine the north of England as an independent country but having the pound as their currency - that should show the situation& what needs to be done by Euro zone members.”
by 321stan
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 12:12AM
“@ Trymriverman
You say the UK couldn't survive on a go it alone basis, yet countries like Greece, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, Italy & more to follow i'm sure, can't survive even with the benefits given by the Eurozone!!!!
Sweden, Finland, Norway & Switzerland all seem to do well enough & they're not even members of the European Community!!!
Let's have a referendum & let the people decide in true democratic fashion.
I think you may well see a different result to what you are predicting.
This government & the last one promised one, what are they afraid of ?
The saying 'flogging a dead horse' springs to mind whenever the Eurozone is mentioned.”
by Trymriverman
Monday, July 02 2012, 7:49PM
“It seems likely that the EuroZone countries will do what is necessary to ensure the survival of the Euro because that is what is in their best interests (& ours) and this will involve becoming much closer to being a united states of Europe and effectively one country. Britain won't be part of this because we aren't a member of the EuroZone and, unfortunately, the majority of people in this country are Eurosceptic so it would be politically impossible I say "unfortunately" because in a world increasingly dominated by giant economic and military blocks Britain can't survive on a go-it alone basis (neither could France, Spain etc) and that seems to be what the Euro-sceptics want - to go it alone. Our future will still very much need to be part of the EU, if not part of the U.S.E. bit. Liam Fox and his ilk are just speaking popularist rubbish, as if there really was a referendum to leave the EU, & they know there won't be, they would lose, as when the majority of EuroSceptics came to put their X in the box they'd realise that just too many jobs depend on our EU membership.”
by RobBradStoke
Monday, July 02 2012, 4:21PM
“£290M is hardly a fine for minor mis-deeds! However, this should be an argument about Europe not Barclays! However, don't feel that Mr Fox is currently much of a threat to anyone but himself.
If Barclays wilfully practiced market abuse (illegal and manipulative acts), this is a criminal offence under European and British law - and the FSA has a legal duty to hunt down the individuals concerned, just like the police hunting down and jailing crooked MPs!!.
With regards to Europe - we expect our Government to make tough decisions (and not U turns)and we may naively vote in Elections for a party supporting our pro or anti European views!.
We need to consider not just the financial mess but who are our trading partners. Seems that some people think we can get more trade from the Far East & even USA (than our immediate neighbouring countries).
Mending the European wheel is the main focus and just like the Bank bail-outs, sometimes you have to help with others debts to ensure your own survival.”
by Charlespk
Monday, July 02 2012, 4:02PM
“Yes several
Well you did ask.
http://tinyurl.com/cx2h4yq (open in a new window)
http://tinyurl.com/c579avk (open in a new window)”
by smoosername
Monday, July 02 2012, 2:56PM
“Is there a more corrupt/dodgy MP in existence than Liam Fox?”
by nickthompson
Monday, July 02 2012, 2:41PM
“"NORTH Somerset MP Liam Fox will today launch his political comeback"------------You bet he is,he has his special expence pen poised and ready.”
by Charlespk
Monday, July 02 2012, 12:41PM
“Any Liber Rate discrepancies would have had minuscule effect on the average person.”