In his assault on the euro, Lawson failed to mention his support for the warm up for the single currency – the European exchange rate mechanism. The former chancellor resigned from the cabinet in 1989 after Margaret Thatcher refused to distance herself from her late economic adviser, Sir Alan Walters, after he described the ERM as "half baked". As I blogged last month, Lawson explained to William Keegan in 2007 why he supported the ERM but not the single currency.I've only ever (so far) seen my Mum cry twice; once when her mum (my Gran) died and once in 1992 when my Dad was telephoning her constantly to give updates on the interest rates during black / white Wednesday which ultimately led to the UK's exit from the ERM. At those levels of interest rates in the afternoon we were certain to be homeless. I have never forgotten it and will never forgive.
In light of Lawson's comments today Nigel Farage has invited him to join UKIP:
So I want to be clear, I don't want the wanker Lawson anywhere near UKIP; if he does join (probably unlikely) then I'm off, membership lapsing - the lot.UKIP Leader Nigel Farage is writing to Lord Lawson, Baroness Thatcher's former Chancellor, with an invite to join UKIP after Lawson has called for a fundamental change in the European Treaties and the UK's relationship with the European Union.
Yep, I’m a bit concerned about our Nige – not my favourite person by a long chalk and the business concerning transnational parties confirmed my misgivings.
ReplyDeleteHe seems to want to establish a broad-based party with him as leader – it seems that power matters more than that small principle of wanting to leave the EU.
The problem TBF, is that if we want to win our argument we are going to need people to abandon their parties and move over to UKIP – and I don’t know of any party other than UKIP that has a recognized anti-EU brand (BNP or no2eu maybe)
I’m afraid that we are all going to have to hold our noses a lot more if we want to achieve our aims – as much as I agree with you about Lawson.
@BJ Thanks for your comment. I concur that to some extent we have to be pragmatic - hold our noses - and accept things that we don't always agree with.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately in this case, if Lawson (Major, Lamont included) were to accept the invite then that crosses a line for me. I'm sorry but I can't accept it.
Not only for personal reasons but Lawson is not an 'outer' - he believes in continued membership of the EU - so why UKIP would try to encourage him as a member is beyond me.
That said I don't think Lawson will accept so the 'problem' as it were probably won't arise.
"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt his repentance, I do doubt that his motives are all they might appear, or that people might assume they are. By the sound of it, Lawson's beefing up the Conservative stance.
However,I'm with BJ on this, there will have to be a lot of late converts and many of them from the Conservative Party. Much of it will be a down to a realisation that the CP, as it stands, isn't a safe horse to ride.
In general UKIP have a problem in dealing with the Conservatives in that many supporters are not and have never been Conservatives and any hint of a pact or UKIP becoming the New Conservatives will lose a lot of support.
I'd guess that NF's offer is more mischief along the lines of not considering a pact with the Tories while Cameron is leading them.
I do think that Lawson has done some sterling work on CAGW