Toby on Tuesday

'The Jellicle Choice'

“Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity
There never was a cat of such deceitfulness and suavity
He always has an alibi and one or two to spare
Whatever time the deed took place, Macavity wasn’t there!”

Anyone who has seen Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cats’, his brilliant adaptation of T.S. Eliot’s ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’, will remember Macavity: The Mystery Cat. He was the arch-villain of all cats and, like David Cameron, a “cat of such deceitfulness and suavity” who always slipped away from trouble, leaving others to pick up the pieces. But very soon this particular cat will be found out for his “renegotiation” that’s no renegotiation and his “EU reform” when there’s no reform.
Last week I wrote about Nigel Lawson and his Conservatives for Britain campaign. Since then, Conservatives for Britain, Labour for Britain and Business for Britain have joined forces in a new Vote Leave campaign. And strengthened by the presence of some very determined UKIP luminaries, they have finally dropped the mantra of ‘Reform or Leave’. Wisely, they have recognised that there will be no reform and to leave the EU is the only option now that a European Superstate looms with open borders to some of the most dangerous countries on the planet. In particular our one MP, Douglas Carswell, and our former Treasurer, Stuart Wheeler, have thrown their lot in with the new Vote Leave campaign. You can find out more if you google www.voteleavetakecontrol.org.

Now, in UKIP as a party we have already committed ourselves to the Leave.EU campaign (www.ukip.org/leave_eu_campaign), which has been working away steadily for unconditional withdrawal from the whole toxic EU project. But the truth is that both campaigns have a vital role to play and, in Nigel Farage’s own words, they are “complementary” and not “contradictory”. The Vote Leave campaign is in essence a sophisticated London-based organisation aimed at those vital opinion-formers in the capital, hence the involvement of Douglas Carswell and Stuart Wheeler. By contrast, Leave.EU, like UKIP, is a non-metropolitan campaigning organisation aimed at the countless millions of ordinary voters, some 4 million of whom supported UKIP in May’s General Election. It already claims 175,000 members and Nigel, perceptive as ever, has predicted that in time the two organisations will merge. In his words, “My view is that I will support both. I’m not interested in being partisan about this and I’m really confident that at some point in time they will all come together.” Both campaigns include truly outstanding people who recognise that Macavity, in the form of our Prime Minister, will be sent back empty-handed from Berlin and Brussels, which no amount of “deceitfulness and suavity” will disguise. Farewell to the EU is the only way forward for Britain, so Vote Leave and Leave.EU are far, far better combining their forces. My hope and sincere belief is that Nigel’s wise words will be fulfilled!

Until next Tuesday!
Toby