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Nick Clegg's call for EU role greeted with derision
Craig Woodhouse2 Mar 2011
Nick Clegg stoked Coalition tensions today with a call for a European Union response to revolutions in North Africa.
The Deputy Prime Minister said it was a "defining moment" for Europe to remodel its policy towards the region.
He suggested the EU could help build democratic institutions after regime change in Tunisia and Egypt and the revolt against Colonel Gaddafi in Libya - even speaking of an "EU policy".
His comments met outrage and disbelief from Eurosceptic Tories. Wellingborough MP Peter Bone said the EU could not take a view because there was "no such thing as the EU state", adding: "I'm not quite sure what planet the Deputy Prime Minister is on."
Clacton MP Douglas Carswell said he was "amazed" at the suggestion of a unified response, possibly under EU foreign affairs high representative Baroness Ashton.
"The greatest irony possible would be for an unelected Baroness Ashton, who has never stood for any office in her life, lecturing Colonel Gaddafi, who has likewise never stood for election, on how to make Libya more democratic.
"One unelected empire cannot give lectures on how to do democracy to an undemocratic fiefdom."
Mr Clegg is giving a speech in Brussels this evening calling for Europe to "rise to the challenge" of recent events in North Africa.
Reader views (6)
Basically People, we need to roar loud enough so that even those treasonous leftards at all levels of the "establishment" can hear, us the "freemen (and Women) under Common Law as enshrined in the Bill of Rights of 1689" when we shout "Go Forth and Multiply!"
You KNOW what i'm saying!
- david, alnwick uk, 04/03/2011 07:14
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Nick Clegg,, you can take the EU, and stick it where the sun don't shine. This interfering, un-elected, un-democratic organisation is doing enough damage poking it's unwanted nose into the UK's affairs, without getting it involved in Africa. We need to have the same guts in this country, and throw out the useless bunch that are dragging us down day by day.
- Trafalgar Dreadnought Sherwood, UK, 02/03/2011 18:49
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Must be a bit daunting running a country like the uk when you haven't so much as run a local council.
Their career path must be a bit short on experience, probably school,university,political helper to someone then MP and finally minister of high office.
Hardly surprising we are where we are with in-experienced kids running the show.
- stuart, chesterfield,derbyshire, 02/03/2011 17:34
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I have full confidence in you nick , & your position as leader No 2.We hope you enjoyed your skiing trip . James
- James Mackinshaw, Hastings UK, 02/03/2011 16:58
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"Nick Clegg's call for EU role greeted with derision"
Hardly surprising really when apart from us and the Germans the reaction of the rest of europe is to either go into lordosis or run like hell at the first sound of gunfire.
- Steve, Brentford, 02/03/2011 15:55
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The cabinet is full of educated idiots, and he's right up there with Cameron and others trying to justify their existance. And they are actually running this country?
- Sylvie, Epping Essex, 02/03/2011 15:09
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