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NO HIDING PLACE
No political party loves a leadership contest. The golden rule of politics is that parties thrive on unity. The struggle for personal power puts on show all the divisions that are at other times carefully disguised. We Liberal Democrats were fairly lucky in 1999 when Charles Kennedy emerged from a large field of contenders. We were helped by the sophisticated system of proportional representation we use within the party, known as the Single Transferable Vote.
Labour, on the other hand, has a weird and wonderful system of election of party leaders in which the central party keeps strict control. The battle within Labour was Ñ and still is Ñ between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Sadly, their leadership contest made bitter enemies of former friends.
Now itÕs the ToriesÕ turn. Their new selection system is staunchly anti-proportional. MPs get several practice shots at nominating the main contestants, and now members get one, simple vote each. Such a crazy process would strain the nervous system of the most united and professional political machine. It simply defies credibility when applied to the weak and divided ranks of the Tory party. The only certain outcome is that the Conservatives will be even more split after the leadership contest than they were before.
The choice is, quite simply, about Europe. It is a historical decision they have to take. No fudge and mudge. Kenneth Clarke is for European unification and Ian Duncan-Smith against. Clarke will try to shift the argument on to improved public services. (HeÕs in favour of them.) He will say that the issue of the single currency is unique. He will argue that the right place to argue about the euro is in the referendum campaign in which he plans to side with Blair and Kennedy. He will also try to argue that the question of euro membership does not commit the UK to participation in the mainstream of European integration, and that the political consequences of joining sterling to the single currency are not profound. Like Ken Clarke as I do, I have always thought him wrong about the politics of the European Union. Famously, he boasted as Chancellor that he had never read the Treaty of Maastricht Ñ a great mistake, frankly, for a man who was then Chancellor of the Exchequer. He appears to be easily bored by the duty he would have as prime minister to share in the running of the EU.
Ian Duncan-Smith says heÕs against the euro and the Treaty of Nice but wants Britain to remain engaged in the EU. This I also find incredible. So will our partners in Europe. So will the USA.
If I were a Tory I would want to run for cover. But thereÕs no hiding place now.
This article first appeared in the Eastern Anglian Daily Press
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Andrew's
work
in the European Parliament since 1999
Andrew is Vice-President of the European Parliament delegation to the Constitutional Convention on the Future of Europe.
Andrew drafted the Charter of Fundamental Rights which has strengthened the rights of all the citizens of the European Union.
Andrew is working for improved links between the EU and Turkey, to encourage improvements in Turkey's human rights record and to enhance its democracy.
Andrew's campaigning in the East of England
Andrew has led calls for the Air Travel industry to be subjected to the same rigorous environmental criteria as other modes of transport
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