Thatcher wrong on Europe say Tories

The Times (UK) ^ | March 22, 2002 | Sam Lister, Melissa Kite and Tom Baldwin

[My Identity]

IAIN DUNCAN SMITH faced pressure from senior Conservative Party members last night to distance himself from Baroness Thatcher’s forthright views on Europe.

A Times survey of more than 100 constituency chairmen found that more than two thirds regarded her stance as impractical and outmoded.

Mr Duncan Smith, who will make the most important speech of his leadership to the Tories’ spring conference in Harrogate on Sunday, has so far decided against disavowing the former Prime Minister because he does not want to reopen his party’s debate on Europe. But at least 40 per cent of those interviewed by The Times felt that he needed to distance himself from Lady Thatcher to prove that the party was changing.

In the survey, conducted over the past three days, 71 per cent rejected Lady Thatcher’s calls this week for withdrawal from key parts of the EU. Two thirds also disagreed with her description of Europe as the hotbed for most of the world’s problems over the past century. Most said the view was blinkered and one-sided. Some went further, describing the former Prime Minister as irrelevant and extremist.

The survey comes as the Shadow Cabinet prepares for a gathering at which Mr Duncan Smith will seek to put a new stamp on his party. A series of shadow ministers will make speeches trying to broaden Tory party appeal. Liam Fox ,the Shadow Health Secretary, will focus on the future of the health service, arguing that simply throwing more money at the NHS will not deliver better patient care.

Francis Maude meanwhile increased the pressure on Mr Duncan Smith, saying that Lady Thatcher’s “rumblings” in her book Statecraft, which is being serialised in The Times, had served only to reinforce the Tories’ image as “small-minded, xenophobic and bickering Little Englanders”.

The former Shadow Foreign Secretary’s R. A. Butler lecture also criticised Lady Thatcher’s record in office towards local government and rejected her “dogmatic” politics.

He called on the Tories to pursue “grown-up” politics, which did not mean opposition for the sake of it.

His remarks on Europe were a rebuke to Lady Thatcher. A great political party like the Tories needed to be broad and generous in addressing international problems if it was to break free of its Little Englander image, he said. “This negative caricature has made it much more difficult for Conservatives to engage in the great debate about the future of the European Union.”

In a clear reference to Lady Thatcher he added: “This caricature can too easily be reinforced by rumbling from our Hall of Fame. We do not believe it was wrong for Britain to join the EU. We do not believe that mainland Europe has been the source of all evil.”

Although a narrow majority of the Tory activists surveyed did not wish Mr Duncan Smith to renounce Lady Thatcher, many felt that if he did not distance himself from her the public would not believe the Tories had changed.

Phillip Ingall, chairman of Newark, said: “She is no longer running the party and should accept that fact. She should back Iain Duncan Smith completely or shut up." Justine Holmes, chair in Totnes, Devon, said: “She did a lot of good in the past, but she should not be allowed to have influence anymore." Pat Horrigan of Southend West in Essex added: “William Hague hung his coat on Maggie’s hook. He went along that line and paid the price for it. IDS should respect her, but she is in the past and he has got to go to the future without making the same mistake.”

Stephen MacLoughlin, chairman of Bournemouth West, said: “She has a special place in Conservative Party history. What she did for this country was something we should be proud of. But times have moved on. She should gracefully take a step back and let those in charge get on with it.”

[My Identity]

Britain is dead. Long live Great Britain.

[Commander8]

The Conservative Party in Britain seems to have forgotten the wisdom of Pitt and Disraeli.

[WOSG]

Sounds like the Brit Press is trying the old divide and conquer on the Conservatives and they are falling for it, just like the GOP sometimes does.

BTW, whether Brits have figured it out or not, Maggie Thatcher is right. The UK should get out of EU if they want to stay a real nation and not a province of Euroland.

[tet68]

Britain, wasn't that once an island nation?

Guess it's just the westernmost part of Eurofrance now.

[Forgiven_Sinner]

If Great Britain, the United Kingdom were smart, they'd opt out of the EU and seek to join NAFTA. I think U.S., Canada, and Mexico would allow them.

They're not smart.

[AdA$tra]

I admit I read ony the headline. But I respond anyway:

The Tories are sniffing glue!

[My Identity]

If Great Britain, the United Kingdom were smart, they'd opt out of the EU and seek to join NAFTA.

They ought to join the United States.

[Valin]

Eurofrance LOL.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Philosophically speaking, the English Channel is far wider than the Atlantic Ocean.

[marktuoni]

I guess that U.S. Republican Senators really do model themselves after English Tories!....

Tories=The Labor Lite Party
Republicans=The Democrat Lite party

Thanks for helping defeat Communism Maggie now sit down and shut up!

[weegee]

"Two thirds also disagreed with her description of Europe as the hotbed for most of the world’s problems over the past century."

"We do not believe that mainland Europe has been the source of all evil.”

Facist dictators ruled Spain, Germany, and Italy in the 20th century. 2 World Wars originated in Europe, naw the real hotbed of the world's problems are the "yanks" < /sarcasm >. Not to mention the world's source of the creeping tide of socialism that we now face.