Karl McCartney MP: Ed Miliband's Europe policy is like Manchester United's defence

By Lincolnshire Echo  |  Posted: March 21, 2014

By Karl McCartney MP

Karl McCartney MP has likened Ed Miliband's policy on Europe to Manchester United's defence

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In the last week we have seen the European Union (EU) feature in the news again as the ineffective europhile leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, finally stuck his head above the parapet.

However, it is interesting to note the resultant confusion in the press, with half the papers claiming that he had ruled out a referendum on our EU membership, and the other less believable half suggesting that it was a cast-iron promise to have one. (no prizes for guessing which publications ran with the latter interpretation)

Such confusion is warranted given the severe caveats that he has imposed on himself to deny the British people a say on our relationship with the EU.

He has advocated ‘reform’ of Europe, however by his own admission he has said that it is unlikely that there will be a treaty change or a transfer of powers under a Labour Government.

It’s basically saying that this proposed reform agenda is not substantive enough to warrant a referendum. The question to therefore ask is why bother? The answer is that Miliband sees the subject of ‘Europe’ as the Robin Van Persie of the political world.

It has great potential and can score plenty of political goals. The problem, however, for Miliband is that he is opposed to the broad view of the public that our relationship with the EU is not working to our advantage and people need to have a definitive choice.

As a result his policy on Europe is not holding up – much like Manchester United’s defence. (sorry David Moyes but as a lifelong Liverpool fan – it is a statement of fact).

This is reflected in his ‘leadership’ of the Labour Party with its recent opposition to James Wharton’s EU Referendum Bill, which saw Labour and Lib Dem peers table wrecking amendments in the House of Lords, and Labour MPs constantly delaying votes in the House of Commons to prevent people in Lincoln having any say on our relationship with the EU, now or in the future.

But for me his categorical refusal to rule out adopting the Euro might top the list given the considerable loss of sovereignty to our country this decision would entail with our economic policy then dictated by foreign powers.

I believe that our relationship with Europe is not working as well as it could and it does need to change. I have voted consistently for such change.

David Cameron has set out a plan to seek a new settlement for Britain in Europe, and will then let the British people decide in an in-out referendum by the end of 2017.

I was supportive of the European Union Act 2011 which guarantees a referendum on further treaty change, however, it does not go anywhere near far enough.

‘Our relationship with Europe is not working as well as it could’

The problem is that the Maastricht Treaty opened the door to political integration and subsequent treaties have simply reinforced this direction for an ‘ever closer union’.

Essentially, the Eurocrats have all the tools necessary to proceed with further integration and do not need to conduct a mock consultation exercise with the EU electorate (see EU Constitution vote in Ireland