Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel

Never ending or beginning on an ever-spinning reel

The Windmills Of Your Mind – Alan Bergman, Michel Jean Legrand

Richard North writes about the ‘sharp practice’ (although I would have used a stronger phrase) of Andrew Lilico and Matthew Sinclair when they pass comment on David Cameron’s renegotiation of this country’s memberhip of the European Union.

What we witness with Lilico and Sinclair is no different to that witnessed in the utterings of any europhile; namely blatant misrepresentation of the subject matter exemplified by a complete (deliberate?) lack of knowledge. The article to which Richard North links amounts to another, not very subtle, attempt to influence the outcome of the impending referendum on EU membership.

Articles such as those produced by Lilico and Sinclair can only add to the fears of those who worry that the forthcoming referendum will be anything but free and fair – but those concerns are negated surely when one remembers that the process will be under the watchful eye of the ‘independent’ Electoral Commission?

The Electoral Commissioners are appointed by the Speaker’s Committee, or to give it its full title: the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission. The Speaker is elected by Parliament, the majority of whom can be said to be of europhile tendency. The Speaker’s Committee comprises four ex-officio members (currently one membership is vacant and is to be appointed by David Cameron) with the other five members being appointed by the Speaker. As will be seen, if one looks at their voting record under ‘Foreign Policy and Defence’ on ‘They work for you‘, the first two generally voted for more EU legislation and the remaining three generally voted both for and against more EU legislation.

If we then look at the present commission we find all but one (Gareth Halliwell) have been part of the ‘system’ (the Westminster Bubble), ie been MPs or held ‘government appointments’. likewise, in some cases, the Executive Team. Yet from Wikipedia we learn that the Electoral Commmission is ‘independent’ of Government and answerable to Parliament. Really?

Circles in a spiral and wheels within a wheel?

As part of that process said Commission will be inviting bids from interested parties who wish to be the ‘lead’ campaign group for both sides of the question: do we wish to remain a member of the European Union. Understandably, logic raises the question of just how can those with ‘set views’ deliver an impartial verdict, one no doubt at variance with their core political beliefs. It follows then that any bid which effectively wishes to ‘rip up’ accepted thinking and change the entire method of trading with the EU; plus, as part of its ‘plan’, introduce a new form of democracy, which would return power to the people, must stand as much chance of success as that of the proverbial snowball surviving in hell.

In conclusion, ‘We’ who comprise true eurosceptics expect to be ‘stitched up’ by government and their acolytes; but to be stitched up by those we thought was one of ‘Us’ is a bitter pill to swallow.

A free and fair referendum? Not in this world!