Britannist

The fanatically pro-EU Guardian pro-Liberal ‘Democrat’ leftist rag has wasted no time in publicising the (alleged) comments of the formerly eurosceptic Ed Balls MP, who has, apparently, suddenly gone pro-EU (the Guardian gives the impression that Balls co-operated with the newspaper over their report):

Ed Balls MP, the Economic Secretary (in the europhile Blair Labour Government) who is widely regarded as Chancellor Gordon Brown’s ‘right-hand man’, has said that the EU should be given more power.

It had been thought that Balls was a eurosceptic in view of his support for Gordon Brown, who stopped Blair from recommending (in 2003) that the UK should join the euro.

Patrick Wintour wrote in the Guardian edition of 1.11.2006 (page 4, brief extracts) “Ed Balls will say today that it is in the UK’s national interest to collaborate more closely with the EU and that Brussels (the EU) should have more powers to deal with issues such as climate change and the single (EU) market.”

Ed Balls told the Guardian on 31.10.2006 “On the economy, the social dimension, the environment, enlargement and foreign policy, europe is going to play a bigger role in the future. On these issues, it is in the British national interest to collaborate in a closer way in europe in the future. A policy of positive european engagement is a critical stepping stone to combating climate change. It is only by being fully engaged at the european level that we will be able to do that.”

Mr. Wintour, who wrote that Balls was likely to be a key figure in planning Labour’s strategy for the next General Election, commented “Mr. Ball’s intervention will be closely noted in european capitals anxious that Mr. Brown’s opposition to British membership of the euro and harmonised tax policies presages a deeper euroscepticism if he takes over at Number 10. Paris and Berlin are eager to understand the principles of a British foreign policy under Mr. Brown – especially his attitude to the EU. Mr. Balls was one of the most influential figures in the British decision not to join the euro. His remarks, in a Fabian lecture, come as tensions over the government’s european policies are growing in the Foreign Office.”

Wintour then reported on the alleged spat between Foreign Secretary Beckett and ‘Europe’ minister Geoff ‘Hoon’ (in which she said she would answer europe questions in the Commons – and not him).

Balls told the Guardian that he thought the EU Commission should have “stronger powers to enforce an effective emissions trading scheme with the EU including more powers to allocate permits to pollute between nations. The Guardian claimed that the present EU carbon emissions trading scheme “has been hampered by individual countries being too generous in allocating permits to their industries”.

Ed Balls also claimed that the Conservatives under David Cameron’s leadership are eurosceptic – something which will surprise members of the anti-EU UK Independence Party and many media commentators who regard David Cameron as the most left wing and pro-EU leader the Conservatives have had since the disastrous election-losing Heath.

Balls said that Conservative euroscepticism “precluded them from having any serious influence over the framing of effective international action to fight climate change.”

* Balls is Labour MP for the northern constituency of Normanton – a seat to be abolished by the boundary commissioner. He is currently looking for a new constituency, but vacancies (for Labour politicians hoping to be adopted as General Election candidates) are few and far between. Ed Balls may try to get selected as Labour candidate for the ‘safe’ Labour seat in Birmingham held by ‘independent’ (former Labour) MP Claire Short, who recently said she is standing down at the next General Election. But he could face trouble from local Labour party Muslims who may want one of their own religion to be the next Labour candidate in Short’s seat.

Chip

Reading this article there does seem to be a lot of Balls in it. In the best possible taste of course.

Unionist

Two things to remember about Brown: he trails his policy choices long before formally announcing them, often using cronies to do the spadework and thus gauge reactions; and his Euroscepticism is skin deep, subordinated always to party politics and his own political power.

Britannist

I have never accepted that Gordon Brown is necessarily a committed eurosceptic. He has backed all EU legislation and treaties and he may have put off recommending euro entry (in 2003) because the euro is not performing well and not because he is against it in principal.

My opinion of Ed Balls has gone down since he allegedly made the remarks attributed to him earlier in this thread.

Unionist

You make my point for me. :x

Britannist

I hope that I am wrong - but will Gordon Brown turn out to be like Lady Thatcher in one particular way. She gave the impression of not wanting the Channel Tunnel unless she was responsible (as she was) for building it.

Could it be that Gordon Brown doesn't want the euro - but will want it if he is the one who takes (if he can get away with it) the UK into the european single currency?

Like alot of politicians - he (Chancellor Brown) has not actually said that he does not like the euro in prinicipal and would never want his country to be in it. He has hid behind his "five economic tests for the euro".

I am quite convinced that the moment the europhiles get the chance, they'll start a new drive to force the UK - one way or the other - into the euro.

Defeated europhile political failure John Major, the pro-euro former 'Conservative' Prime Minister, said in a television interview that the euro is "off the agenda."

Coming from him, this means that the europhile political elite in our country very much have euro entry right up at the top of their agenda.