With a heavy heart Daniel Hannan MEP says today: “Until now, I have hung back, reluctant to do anything that might legitimise a rotten system. But times change.”

Times do change. You move to Brussels. You take on a job within a rotten system. You start representing the party which claims that it does not agree with you on major policy. Etc.

Hannan goes on to say:

In particular, we finally have a Group – the European Coservatives and Reformists – that represents that large majority of European voters who oppose closer integration. The creation of the ECR has brought an unprecedented mood of unity to Conservative MEPs: I’ve remarked before on the gracious way in which Geoffrey Van Orden and Timothy Kirkhope behaved over the leadership election. In short, what with everyone else chipping in, I felt it would be churlish to stand aside.

So I have become the party spokesman on legal affairs, and its representative on the pertinent committee.

One part of that remark is amusing. He says Timothy Kirkhope behaved graciously. According to Paul Waugh, this is what he said of Hannan after his comments about the NHS:

I certainly asked my chief whip to have a word with him and try to illicit from him the basis on which these remarks were made.

He added that the whip would “at the very least have to remind Mr Hannan of his role – I don’t know what further steps may be taken. It does worry me a little bit that an impression is being given in the United States about the views of David Cameron and the Conservatives party which is not accurate.

I would not like them to think in the United States that the Conservative party is in any way hostile to the NHS – quite the revserse.

Miaow! That’s very gracious behaviour I’m sure you’ll agree.

Anyway, Dan Hannan goes on to say:

For the first time in a decade here, I have found something that I’m truly proud to be part of. I speak, obviously, of the ECR: I’d vote to abolish the Parliament itself tomorrow.

Of course Mr Hannan. Of course.

The Conservative high command is clearly not keeping Daniel Hannan at arms length as they claim to be.

Reader comments

1. Liberal Conspiracy

   : Dan Hannan given top Euro job http://bit.ly/T1q2p

   [Original tweet]

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