Long-Term readers of this blog know that I am deeply ambivalent about Britain's role in the EU. I loathe most of its works - the CAP especially, but flip-flop over whether withdrawal is actually the best thing for the UK, especially with the accession of more broadly sceptical eastern European countries with whom we can work to counter the Franco German Axis. On Balance I think it is, but it's a pretty fine call. It is not the EU which has ruined the country. It is the Labour party. The nutters in the Conservative party for whom the EU is the most important thing in British politics (both 'phile and 'phobe) rendered the Tories unelectable for most of a decade, and allowed the Labour party to party in power.

The British constitution can be summed up thus - Parliament is sovereign. One parliament cannot bind its successors. We can leave the EU at any time as it is a bureaucracy, not a dictatorship as some more hysterical commentators suggest. Belgian tanks are not going to roll over protesters in Trafalgar square. To withdraw would be a huge step and there are more important things to do right now. David Cameron indicated that in power he would reassert the primacy of parliament and ultimately that of the British courts, and said he'd try to renegotiate our current position, and think about a referendum in 6 years if unsuccessful. That will do for me.

Let's be clear about what has made a mess of the UK, and it ain't the EU. Gordon Brown bankrupted the UK, not the EU. Likewise it was not the EU which suggested 42-day detention without trial. It is not the EU which constructed the most extensive DNA database in the world. It is not the EU which forced the most intrusive surveillance state on earth* on the population of the UK. The EU is not responsible for armed police on the streets of London. The EU is not responsible for the extradition to the USA of businessmen who committed no crime here, whilst the seppos refuse to extradite terrorists to our courts. It is not the EU which seeks to limit the basic freedoms of British subject, and render their assets liable to extra-judicial confiscation.

It is the Labour party with did these things. Lisbon was it's final betrayal and to blame David Cameron for these things because he cannot undo what has been done is dishonest, unjust, and doing the Labour party's work. The Labour party is the Enemy of the UK, not the EU and the Conservative party's Euro nutters, Helmer and Hannan have lost sight of the central importance of getting Brown out and clearing up after his 13-year scat party. Oh... and for anyone who says "who cares about Westminster, all our laws come from the EU", you're talking crap.

As a libertarian, I believe borders which prevent the movement of goods and people are an affront to human dignity. The fact that I can do business in the EU without having to become an expert in dozens of nation's securities laws is a benefit of the EU and there millions like me who benefit from the free trade area. Just as the Federasts' claims that 60% of our trade is with the EU therefore 10 million jobs are at risk should we withdraw are fatuous, so are claims from the skeptics that to do so would be without cost. Thus our £6.7bn annual payment to the EU does buy some trade advantages. In an ideal world, I would like global free trade, but that isn't on the cards. The EU is a step in the right direction.

The British people are skeptical, do not want the Euro and resent changes to weights and measures, and would seek to block any further transfer of power to the EU but do not want to withdraw, because they can see the logic of the free movement of people and goods. Funnily enough, that is almost exactly the position of the Conservative party. If there is a split, it is between skeptics who think that the EU is in need of serious reform, but that there are more important things to do; and those who think that the EU is the most important thing in the world... like ever.

What David Cameron has done is leave a door open for a more substantive referendum in any second Conservative term, if the renegotiation is unsuccessful. The hysterical reaction from some Frenchman indicates the discomfiture that some federasts might feel, and indicate that perhaps Cameron is on the right lines. Certainly a semi detached position somewhere between Norway and Switzerland's' EEA/EFTA and full membership suits my feelings on the matter. Anyone who thinks there aren't benefits to membership of the European union is a nutter. Let's try to keep those benefits, and a chair in debating the rules, whilst minimising the costs. Again, what the Conservative party position is.

UKIP exists for a reason. To rid the Conservative party of turbulent people who think that talking about done deals is more important than winning elections. My prediction: UKIP will get fewer than a million votes in the General election, probably fewer than the BNP and certainly fewer than the 2.5 million they got in 2009 Euros.

Cameron has successfully booted Europe into the long grass, where it belongs and agreed with the British people who are broadly euroskeptic whilst doing so. He calmly asserting the supremacy of British law and a program for the return of power from Brussels, and looked Prime-Ministerial doing so. That is why the Conservatives win elections. Pragmatic, non-dogmatic and sensible policies in tune with what the British people are thinking. Funny thing, this democracy thing in action, isn't it.

*OK... Maybe one exception