Bringing change to Europe

On Monday, I travelled up to Rawtenstall in Rossendale and Darwen, Lancashire for the national launch of our European campaign.   One representative from each region joined David Cameron, Mark Francois MP, Shadow Europe Minister and Timothy Kirkhope MEP, Leader of the Conservatives in Europe at St. Mary’s Chambers.

Timothy Kirkhope kicked off proceedings by detailing the Conservative Party’s Manifesto in Europe.  He then invited each regional representative to sign a pledge of our commitment to the British people that, if elected on June 4, 2009, each Conservative MEP would be committed to:

• transparent expenses;
• support a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty;
• deliver more for less in terms of EU waste and to continue to vote against the EU accounts until they are cleared by an auditor; and
• protect Britain’s economic interests by defending the UK’s opt-out from the Working Time Directive, keeping Britain out of the euro and protecting free trade.

David Cameron then outlined the key planks of the Conservative vision to bring change to Europe.  For me, sitting amongst my fellow candidates, what followed next struck a chord as to what I have heard campaigning in the South West amidst the expenses scandal.

The central core of his speech was a call for Parliament to be dissolved and for a general election to be held immediately:  “I think the scale of the problems facing Britain today – the recession, the debt crisis, and above all the political crisis – all point in one direction”.  He continued: “This political crisis has been caused by the politicians, so I don’t think the politicians alone can solve it.  The public have got to be involved.”

Parliament has lost all moral authority. We need a general election. The problems this country faces are too serious to hold off.  And this Government is out of ideas and its handling of various crises from the bourgeoning national debt to cases of data loss from Government departments to the fiasco over SAT tests to the current political crisis has been completely inept. The Government has appeared paralysed vis-à-vis the revelations over MPs expenditure and it is David Cameron who has really set the pace.

Throughout the South West, people have expressed their concerns about ever greater EU integration, the economy, jobs, the level of indebtedness, the state of the NHS, education, pensions, erosion of civil liberties and a whole raft of other issues. But since the expenses scandal, there is only one issue on the doorstep. It needs to be resolved.

Let me be clear. I completely share the public’s anger. Some of the claims have been unbelievable, unconscionable and utterly wrong.  The system is faulty and certain politicians’ judgment in claiming expenses have been equally so.  People that I have spoken to want the system cleaned up as a matter of urgency.  Many, many have demanded a general election and praised David Cameron for his decisive handling of the expenses scandal and his understanding of just how serious this political crisis is. But don’t take my word for it.  As I type this, I find out that a Populus survey for ITV News at Ten has showed that 54% of the public back our demands for a snap general election.

What is sad is that I do believe that politicians up and down the country sought political office for all the right reasons: to serve the public good, to use the platform to speak up for people that need a voice and to try and shape a more decent society.  However, all the best intentions are drowned out by the sheer scale of the expense scandal. Confidence in the political system is shot. We should call an immediate general election and let the public have a say. To fail to do so would be to fail the British public.

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