Lord Tebbit becomes sponsor of 'Better Off Out'

Former Party Chairman Norman Tebbit has become the latest senior Conservative to lend his weight to The Freedom Association's Better Off Out campaign.  Lord Tebbit joins Frederick Forsyth and former Commons Speaker Lord Weatherill as patrons of 'BOO'.  Explaining his decision, Lord Tebbit said:

"From being a supporter of British membership of the Common Market in 1970 I have come to believe that the United Kingdom would be Better Off Out of the developing European Republic of the 21st century. We British have a thousand year history of self-government. We have been free and democratic longer than any other nation. The European Union is too diverse, too bureaucratic, too corporatist and too centralist to be a functioning democracy. We are happy to trade with our European friends and the rest of the world - but we would prefer to govern ourselves."

In a Q&A for today's ConservativeHome, however, John Maples MP - in charge of candidates at CCHQ - says that he and the party will take "a dim view" of any candidate that signs the BOO pledge.  "This campaign is contrary to party policy," he writes, "...[and] we expect candidates, before and after selection to support party policy."  Gordon Henderson, Tory candidate in Sittingbourne and Sheppey, is the only candidate to have signed up to BOO so far.  A poll by ConservativeHome of party members found that 30% supported the BOO campaign and another 33% had sympathy for its objectives but feared it might be divisive.

Related link: We must have the courage to break free of the EU, says Philip Hollobone MP.

Comments

[Edward Huxley]

Roger Helmer MEP reports that David Cameron is "relaxed" (whatever that means) about back bench Conservative parliamentarians supporting BOO. If only he would extend his relaxation to his front bench and give a lead by signing himself it would do him and his party a tremendous amount of good. What about it, Mr. Cameron?

[Brit Pat]

Honour the Military Public Covenant,

http://www.thecovenant.org.uk/

Our Brave Lads deserve better than the current policy of demoralisation....
If we each email 5 People, who each in turn email 5 More thats 25 in two days...
125 in three...625 in four....etc etc Inside two weeks we could have 30 Million People demanding Better treatment for Our Troops..
You never Know...
Might be out only hope againt EU Tyranny.