The BBC’s Nick Robinson has written an unusually critical blog post on Cameron’s refusal to give a straight answer over the EU.

He says:

So what does the self proclaimed “straight talking” guy say about one of the biggest foreign policy dilemma he’s likely to face if he becomes prime minister?

Nothing. Nowt. Nix. Zippo. Zilch.

David Cameron’s official explanation for not telling us what he’ll do if the EU’s Lisbon Treaty is law by the time he reaches office is that “you can only have one policy at a time”. He adds that he doesn’t want to do anything to “undermine or prejudice” the ratification proceedings in Poland and the Czech Republic.

The real explanation is that he is determined that his last conference before the election will not, to use his phrase, “obsess about Europe”.
…
I joked with one senior Tory that the headline should have read “Betrayal postponed”. He smiled before chastising me for my cynicisim.

The Tories are desperately trying to kill off any internal fighting over Europe.

Roger Helmer MEP attacked Ken Clarke on his blog:

Ken Clarke appears on the front page of Saturday’s Daily Telegraph, pointing out what a huge disaster it would be if next week’s Party Conference were to be over-shadowed by a row about Europe. Of course he’s right. I think most Conservatives would agree. So if you don’t want a row about Europe, Ken, why start one? Or do you think that you can raise the issue, drop coy hints of your private (and not so private) reservations about Party policy, and assume that everyone else will shut up?

The very headline sets up the dilemma: “Clarke: Don’t let Europe wreck Tories’ chances”. So what exactly does he mean by that? Let me paraphrase. He means “Keep Quiet!”. No one should mention the EU (except, of course, himself — the licensed elder statesman).
…
The best way to avoid a row is (A) to set out a clear and unequivocal policy in line with the deeply-held convictions of the great majority of the Party; and (B) for the tiny minority of Europhiles in our midst to take a self-denying ordinance, and keep quiet.

And here we were, under the impression that the Tories valued internal debate and dissent. Only when it’s one way apparently.

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