Friday 28 November 2014

Cameron's big immigration speech

I thought this was a well judged balanced address appealing to both the Tory sceptics and pointing out a few home truths to the Brussels bureaucracy  and appealing to Mutti Merkel but making no commitments. Indeed the young fogey, Rees Mog opined the speech had been sent to Mutti for approval befored the JCB delivery. Going for in-work benefits was a no brainer. Anything more would have been vetoed by the EU, anything less would have inflamed the Tory sceptics that sit behind him.

So he has talked the talk but can he walk the walk and deliver on his 4 year no benefits for migrants pledge. My former BoE colleague got a real pasting on the AN show on one simple question from the Sun's political editor Tom Newton Dunn, "How will you actually deport those EU immigrants who have not found a job in the allotted 6 months?". Collapse of Hancock!. Oh dear , he cannot answet a simple practical question but is so desperate to keep in with the whips he will do anything they ask.

The devil is in the simple practical detail! Oborne emphasised this in his brief piece in the Daily Mail online today.

"Today he (Cameron)  tried to sell the Gaullist vision of a Europe of sovereign states collaborating in a common endeavour. This vision involves compromise, endless attention to detail, and an ability to build alliances across Europe. On the basis of Mr Cameron’s speech this morning, I now believe he is capable of selling the Eurosceptic case to the rest of the EU and winning. He is a most formidable politician."

Well I don't know about the Gaullist bit and I would describe him as slippery rather than formidable and like all our LibLabCon politicians does not do detail but he has started to pull the rug from under UKIP and has made things a lot more difficult for Farage. Cams other great edge is he has a lot of able politicians round him. You could never call Nuttall, Arnott or Seymour politically able and that's only the three I know personally from 5 years ago. I am sure the new intake of UKIP MEPs has many of similar intellectual standing. Unless Carswell, Reckless & O'Flynn take charge of UKIP's campaign quickly 5 May 2015 might turn into 18 June 1815 revisiited for Napoleon Farage and his Old Guard. Merde!.

The one who does detail very well is Alex Salmond. Last night on the AN This Week show Alex ran rings round Portillo who was close to losing it at the the end. Portillo prides himself on his mastery of precision and detail but met his better last night. Dianne Abbott who is quite close to Alex politically and was sat next to Portillo enjoyed the demolition of Portillo immensely. At the end when AN asked Alex about his future plans he said he was not sure but he could always make TV programmes about boring railway journeys. Woo, woo!

8 comments:

Niall Warry said...

Your admiration of Alex knows no bounds and completely colours your judgement.

I saw the same thing you did and Alex was good as he always is BUT Portillo did NOT lose it and simply and calmly pointed out that Alex was WRONG and the vow HAD been delivered.

If anything it was Alex that was rattled when he said to Portillo ' you can call me liar if you wish ....'

Alex is very good politician but he a Marxist snake oil salesman and I wouldn't trust him to run a country without bankrupting it.

Eric Edmond said...

Oh dear Major you are so biased.The Scottish budget has been balanced since Alex took ove as it has to be without borrowing powers Still your hero Gordon Brown is still out and about trying to get you a Milliband government which is what England deserves. Slippery Dave is the real snake oil merchant or should I say cast iron.

Niall Warry said...

Pot and kettle Eric my friend!!

The main point is Portillo did NOT lose his cool and Alex, as I say is a very good politician but he does and will manipulate the arguments to his favour in an extremely bias pro Scotland way,

OK so Alex should argue for Scotland, as he has worked all his political life for an independent Scotland, but to believe, as you appear to do, that he never bends the truth to support his case is extremely far fetched and NOT born out by the facts.

Eric Edmond said...

I did not say these things you attribute to me. Alec is just a politician like the rest, he just happens to be better than a pretty mediocre bunch of Old Etonians and Oxford intelllectuals. I do hope the Tories choose Mrs May as their next leader.

Portillo was losing it at the end of that interview. Alec is teflon coated. He is the best I have seen in that department since stainless steel Major Dennis Healey RE.

Niall Warry said...

We were clearly watching through different glasses or perhaps your glass was full of the hard stuff!!!!

And as I have always said Alex is a very good politician BUT he is totally bias towards his desire for an independent Scotland driven by his hatred of the Conservatives and this leaves his policies unbalanced. Also we need to add that his policies were NOT thought out in three areas, the currency, the EU and Defence and were therefore unworkable.

Eric Edmond said...

Wrong, wrong, wrong Major.

Niall Warry said...

You are sounding a bit like Maggie!!

Eric Edmond said...

I take that as a compliment Major