Toby on Tuesday

'Trust the People'

The old Working men’s Clubs scarcely exist now, but for many years they were a vital part of Britain’s political life.   And it was in Birmingham at one of the earliest of these that on 16th April, 1884 Winston Churchill’s father, Lord Randolph Churchill, first coined the immortal phrase, “Trust the People.”   What he was saying was that the innate good sense of ordinary men and women in Britain contained far more political wisdom and insight than the advice of countless sophisticated so-called “experts”.   It was true then and it was true on 23rd June, when the majority of voters in the United Kingdom ignored Project Fear and chose finally to leave the wasteful and dysfunctional construct known as the EU.

And we have already had three specific gains from that vote.   Three major policy initiatives in Brussels had been held back until the week after our Referendum and all would have had an adverse effect on our country.   Thanks to Brexit, we have avoided the worst of their impact.   Signorina Mogherini, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, did indeed launch her report calling for a European Army, but without the possibility of British participation it fell completely flat.   Signor Monti, Chairman of the EU’s High Level Group on Own Resources, pressed on with his campaign for EU-wide direct taxation and the issue to every one of us of a “European Tax Identification Number”, but again without the prospect of compliant UK taxpayers this again became irrelevant.   And Frau Merkel pursued her campaign for Turkish EU membership and visa-free travel to the Schengen Zone, but again the UK can now avoid the direct risk that this policy entails.   So the gains from Britain’s vote are building steadily and the prospect of a safe-haven Britain, protected from many of the EU’s self-inflicted troubles, is now a realistic aim.

UKIP’s task in the coming years will be to ensure that the integrity of last month’s vote is secured and that the Remainers are not allowed to undermine our democracy.   Here in Thirsk and Malton, our pro-Remain Member of Parliament has pledged his support in the Conservative leadership election to the pro-Remain Theresa May.   The Thirsk & Malton constituency is spread over three District Councils, Hambleton, Ryedale and Scarborough.   Together they returned 84,724 votes for Leave (57.42%) and 62,819 votes for Remain (42.58%).   Our role here will be to uphold the result for which over 57% of our electors voted and to offer a home to constituents from all parties and none who, unlike their Member of Parliament, supported Leave last month.   On this strong base our Association can grow, for in Thirsk & Malton UKIP is the only party to have learned, in the words of Lord Randolph Churchill, father of Winston, to Trust the People!

Until next Tuesday!

Toby