Don't Panic

One slightly amusing side effect of the referendum debate is watching Cameron, yet again, display his woeful lack of abilities as a Prime Minister and the ill-disguised panic in Number 10 as the 'voters have spoken - the bastards'.

James Delingpole thinks he's worse than Ted Heath. Ouch! Analysis that surely comes under the category of 'harsh but true'. The Mail also reports signs of panic and compares Cameron to Major - its conclusions are withering:

It is scarcely conceivable that the Prime Minister is turning next week's vote into a John Majoresque trial of strength with his Eurosceptic MPs. Let's be clear about the terms of next week's debate: the outcome will have absolutely no impact on Government policy, and with Labour and the Lib Dems expected to oppose the idea of an 'in-out' EU referendum (or at least, in Labour's case, abstain), it seems all but impossible that the motion could in any case be carried. The vote may well turn into a John Majoresque trial of strength with Eurosceptic MPs

The talk in Government circles tonight is of a compromise amendment that could allow the frontbenches and the rebels to unite. Perhaps that is achievable. But if he presses ahead with a three-line whip, Mr Cameron risks up to half a dozen resignations by ministerial aides, the biggest rebellion of the Parliament and a potentially irreversible rift with large sections of his party.

The Prime Minister should have shrugged his shoulders, told all those on the Government payroll to take the afternoon off and headed Down Under, where he could have watched as 50 or so Tory MPs backed a referendum to no effect whatsoever. Whoever advised him to do otherwise should be taken out and shot. Mr Cameron may have made one of the worst decisions of his premiership.

In order to 'detoxify' the Tory brand, Cameron always wanted to park the EU issue. So how's that going, Cameron?

Still, with impending economic crisis looming, aren't we relieved that we have such a talented person in place as our Prime Minister?