PC 6: Let the People Vote?

[Sir Dylan Macmillan]

Labour are acting as if the will of the people is secondary to their own desires, which does sum up their attitude to governing really. If the people choose to join the Euro then it is incumbent upon the Government to make it Government policy to facilitate the transition. It may not be instant, it may not be within a year, but if the people vote to join the Euro then Government policy should be to ready the economy to allow the UK join the Euro, no matter what any individual MP or Minister thinks.

[CWard]

“Because, in my view, there is no opportune time to give away our independent currency. The circumstances will never be right, and the impact on our economy and our national sovereignty is will always be disastrous.”

Then let’s not do it. If the result is bad, heading headlong into the bad thing is terrible. Leading towards a bad decision that is a known bad decision isn’t bold or democratic. It’s stupid

[Andy Edwards]

LABOUR is saying the will of the people is secondary? The Leader of the Opposition has said that he only wants a referendum to get the people to vote down the Euro- that's the reason he's pushing his referendum here and now. That is not the will of the people... that's just trying to score political points. The people absolutely deserve a say when they have the facts and when the time is right, as Labour has said time and again. Our manifesto is clear on it, as is our leadership. It's the Tories who have admitted they don't care what the people want.

[Sir Dylan Macmillan]

Labour continue to be deliberately obtuse, suggesting that the Conservative Party's longstanding commitment to a referendum is inconsistent with our manifesto commitment not to join the Euro in the coming Parliament. If a referendum happens, which based on the Labour Party's disapproval of giving the people a say would be a long shot, then it will take time to prepare the economy for joining the Euro. There are joining criteria, we would have to give the country time to prepare for the transition, and there would be a period of time where the Euro and the Pound are both legal tender. It is not a simple case of flicking a switch and waking up the next morning with a wallet full of Euros, it is disingenuous and misleading of Labour to pretend that it would be that way.

[Sir Dylan Macmillan]

The entire crux of the Labour Party's argument is that the people "don't know what is good for them". I believe that rather than protecting the public and pretending that they are too stupid to know what is good for them we should be taking their instructions as their elected representatives, that means having the referendum before the next election and working over the next few years to implement it. Labour clearly want to wait until the time is right, if they want to have a referendum at all, they care only about spin and opportunity, not democracy and not the will of the people.

[Sir Jack Anderson]

I don’t share the Conservative Party’s faith that the state can just snap its fingers and drag our housing market, economic structures and business cycles to be compatible to that of the euro. That could be disruptive.

I’m not going to gamble with Britain’s economy and people’s livelihoods for good press. This isn’t the first time that has been demanded of me from Tories and it won’t be the last, but every time they do my answer is going to be a resolute no.

[Ege]

(Can I just say how ridiculous this has been regard to I am commenting less than 18hrs after this press cycle started and I am commenting on page 4)

No campaign is unlosable, this is a reckless call. I strongly urge leader of the opposition to reconsider or he might be known as the Tory who surrendered the Pound, if things don't go his way and for his sake and for Britain's sake I will pray that his gamble will be successful.

I am hearing so many incoherent arguments about this call, some claims this is perfectly in line with our manifesto when it was not in our manifesto to have a referendum on Euro, another argument is this is the same thing William Hague has proposed and yet others claim this is a change from William Hague. I was told this might be a distraction from the current issues when I pressed it during the leadership election and afterwards and the same people who said that are the ones who are signing this Early Day Motion. I will not sign this early day motion and if it comes to a vote, I can assure every single patriot in this country that I will vote against it.

I have been very consistent on this all along, even Labour thinks Euro is dead and this referendum will be a kiss of life for Euro. William Croft is a sensible man with great ideas but on this he is dead wrong and I strongly urge him to reconsider once again.

[Ege]

I strongly urge every Conservative member and voter who oppose Euro and wants to ensure that Euro never becomes our currency to join Campaign for Patriotic Unionism. We have to have a strong pressure group inside the Conservative Party to ensure that this referendum proposal can not give Euro a kiss of life.


Campaign for Patriotic Unionism recruitment poster

[Ege]

William Hague for all his faults has decided the Euro policy with a conference vote. When selected as Conservative Party Chairman Mr.Baker stated that "My goal as Conservative party Chairman is to modernize the Conservative party by increasing the voice the membership has in the party, and increasing the transparency of the party; as well as reforming the selection process to encourage more women to seek high office.". Mr.Croft in his victory speech has stated that: "In the coming days, I will launch a comprehensive review of all party policy, not to stamp my personal views onto them but to more effectively align our policies with our Conservative principles. And when it's complete, you the party members will have the power to determine whether we adopt them via democratic vote.". I want to believe Mr.Croft and Mr.Baker acted because of their belief in the urgency of the matter and I have full confidence in Mr.Croft and Mr.Baker properly pushing this policy with a conference vote, just like Mr.Hague did in 1998.

[Will Frost]

Cosette is right, during my leadership campaign I staunchly advocate expanding the power of the everyday members of the Conservative Party. My goal, in the party and across the country, is to decentralize power away from the elite view and put it into the hands of the many. My commitment on allowing party members to vote on major new policy announcements is a key component of my leadership, and that certainly extends to my view on the need for a euro referendum. While I will continue to pursue that goal now, as party leader and Leader of the Opposition, I will of course give every party member the right to back or reject my policy. I am their leader, their servant, and this is their party.