Heseltine likens party to 80s 'loony left'
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Your support makes all the difference.Tory divisions over Europe were vividly demonstrated last night when Michael Heseltine compared the party under William Hague to Labour under the control of the "loony left" in the 1980s.
Tory divisions over Europe were vividly demonstrated last night when Michael Heseltine compared the party under William Hague to Labour under the control of the "loony left" in the 1980s.
Mr Heseltine spoke out after Baroness Thatcher, in an impromptu BBC interview, insisted Britain had rescued its European neighbours during the Second World War and should not become "entangled" with them. As senior Tory figures tried to heal splits over Europe within the party, Mr Heseltine told a fringe meeting Mr Hague's hardline policy on the single currency was an abdication of British interests.
"Every Conservative Prime Minister since Harold Macmillan has recognised Britain's self-interest could be pursued only if our political leaders took their place in the councils of Europe and fought there for that self-interest," he said. "Increasingly, the language of today implies the psychology of the empty chair. There is a growing band of party members who would like to remove the chair from the table altogether.
"The last time so substantial an abdication of British interests was advocated by a major political party occurred when the extreme left ran the Labour Party in the 1980s."
The former deputy prime minister's remarks destroyed the hard-won truce apparently achieved between the Tory leadership and its pro-euro critics in the party. John Major has studiously avoided any criticism of Mr Hague this week.
Francis Maude, the shadow Foreign Secretary in his address to conference, said a Tory government would not allow Britain to move towards further integration. He said Conservatives would pass laws to ensure further power transfers to Europe could happen only after a referendum.
He also said the powers of the European courts would be curbed. "EU law will not override the will of Parliament."
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