David Cameron faces serious problems as Conservative donors threaten to switch to UKIP unless Cameron toughens up on Europe, instead of a swing to the right; he needs to get the EU to fix their entire project; EU internal immigration policy is a good start

Dear All

In politics you need a number of things to be successfully especially at the high end.

Tory donors have threatened to switch their allegiance to UKIP unless David Cameron adopts a tougher stance on Europe.

Awhile ago, I came up with an idea, it was for the EU to adopt an internal immigration policy, at present anyone in the EU can go and work or live anywhere they so choose.

The freedom of labour is a good idea, however, the EU hasn’t moved with the times, once it was about 7/8 countries, now it sits at 27.

Other factors such as the Euro crisis and the world financial crisis have compounded things, who would have thought in 2013, that Greek pensioners would have to scavenge for food in bins.

The dream of a united Europe is falling apart.

It needs fixed, but there is a lack of direction, and the people are angry because of austerity, that anger will push them towards hard right wing parties and others.

Someone has to speak for the people; otherwise the EU is doomed at some point in the future.

In Britain, the austerity measures are bad, but they could be a lot worse, and a lot worse is just round the corner.

My internal EU immigration policy helps fix some of the problems, but it has to be an EU wide uptake.

   

In another blow to David Cameron’s leadership, former Tory treasurer Lord Kalms said he was ‘willing to pack my bags’ and sign up with UKIP unless the Prime Minister adopted more traditional Tory policies.

I would suggest that although ‘traditional’ Tory policies appeal to a certain mindset, new ones are the order of the day for the Conservatives, and have been for decades. The Tories didn’t win the last election, Gordon Brown lost it.

The upshot of unhappiness is that UKIP leader Nigel Farage is set to seize on discontent among Tory MPs, and get fund-raising with an appeal to Cameron’s supporters.

Nigel Farage has been invited by City financier Crispin Odey to pitch to wealthy donors for support.

Odey says Mr Farage was ‘very, very attractive’ and a ‘first-rate guy,’ adding: ‘UKIP deserve all the support they get.’

He told the Sunday Times:

‘I have always been a Conservative but that loyalty is wearing very, very thin. If UKIP has the right policies, that’s where we’ll go. I am very, very disenchanted and won’t tolerate being dragged down into Europe without some fight.’ 

So, big business wishes to get their feet under the table with UKIP, it could be a double edge sword, UKIP’s main strength is that it is a people’s party at present, they don’t wish to lose that identity and become a mini version of the Conservative Party.

Things look bleak for Cameron, in the ranks, it is said that, at least one Conservative MP has used a go-between to discuss switching to UKIP.

Farage has used something I said on the blog that people in power who try ‘to be all things to all men - that means you are nothing to nobody’.

If Farage can get backing from more heavyweight donors, this leads them in a agood position to make an assault on Westminster parliamentary seats.

Such an outcome would have an effect on both sides of the border between Scotland and England.

A strong UKIP in the south means that the SNP can’t run effectively with their anti Tory platform.

The real test of sorts comes in the European elections, if they do well, they will get more financial support and members.

In Scotland, UKIP hasn’t turned a corner as they have down south, probably due to poor marketing and lack of people on the ground, as well as representation in seats.

But despite this, they are seen as a threat by the SNP and its supporters, which recently led to a bitter confrontation with protesters in Edinburgh.

Farage was forced to barricade himself into a pub after angry indy supporting Scots turned up and started, calling him a ‘racist scumbag’, then they told him to go back to his own country.

A summit to discuss an electoral pact with UKIP is also being planned by the Bow Group, this group is becoming more political and moving away from their current think tank platform, their president is Sir John Major.

Is a UKIP/ Tory pact possible?

Depends what is on the table, it would help UKIP enormously, and could be used as a blocker to keep the Labour Party out.

Will 2015 see a UKIP/Tory/Lib Dem pact?

Events dear boy, events, and numbers, UKIP has a healthy share of the vote but its seats that matter.

Nadine Dorries, the Conservative MP who was only given back the whip after an unauthorised absence from parliament wants MPs to seek endorsement from UKIP. 

She told Sky’s Murnaghan:

‘It almost seems a nonsense where you have two people who think and have the same values standing against each other.’ 

She added:

‘Every Conservative MP has to be adopted by their Conservative association and then they could seek endorsement from UKIP with a double logo. After all, we have just recently voted to change the law to allow that to happen.’ 

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Farage came out and said that UKIP was speaking to ‘about 20’ Tory MPs about standing on a joint ticket. 

This is good PR however in practice it can’t work, who do these MPs answer to?

At some point, the EU has to change, if they won‘t or can‘t, then UKIP will rise and the pressure to leave the EU will be unbearable, I think the EU can be fixed, however it has been left to fester without direction for years.

And for the avoidance of doubt, No to Tony Blair as EU President!

I think we have had enough of him, and beside, who wants a proxy in that chair for the American President?

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University