A referendum on Lisbon after complete ratification will achieve no more than sending a signal to the EU. What we have now is a novel form of corruption whereby a government initially headed by Blair refuses to keep its promise to ask the opinion of the British people, resulting in the presidency of Europe being given to Blair.

A very frustrating account of the demise of British farming. What can we do? What CAP rules can we break? What would be the penalties? Could we ignore them - like others in the EU?

Tim's decision to hold this vote was mischevious and not conducive to the best interests of the Conservative Party (AGAIN). The poll was entirely self-selecting but the lazy and incompetent MSM will take it to reflect the actual attitude of the Membership. Every vote lost to the Conservatives is a vote for more Labour government, a certain entrenchment of Lisbon Treaty articles and no opportunity to take back powers from the EU. Cameron has already promised a referendum if it is not ratified if he forms a government. There is no way that the vast majority of the people of Britain want to leave the EU but they do want its power reduced and they do want to prevent it from becoming a super-state.This can only be achieved by working from the inside.

BUT DD removed himself from the front bench....

"John Prescott uses Twitter......." He is a twat and probably the most incompetent minister in living memory.

With luck the Guardian will be dead in two years.

Denis McShane frothing at the mouth again about the Conservative partners in the EU Parliament ...some politically connected Americans are apparently sayimg they don't like our partners.I won't try to make a case for some of our partners, they can defend themselves. The Americans need to be told we will do what is in our interest.When the chips are down it's the Brits who come forward with blood and treasure. McShane belongs to a party which has dozens of ex-Communists in today's British Parliament. They were praising the Soviet system while millions were being sent to the gulags.

Tim, why do you invite this tw*t Ridley Grove to write on ConHome?

Who is Ridley Grove? Is he a tw*t?

Who is Mikey? A ukip-homeless person? He should get his facts right first!

If you want to know what Conservative policies are in outline go to the "Policy" page on their web site.The summary has been there for months.

EMS has previously been a Euro VP. What are the perks of that job? Was EMS unhappy really because the group did not put his name forward? Since, given his age and long service, it may be his last 5 years in the parliament, perhaps he thought he would like to "trough" it for the final run.

Are the editors still secretly drinking with Damien McBride?

Dazed (18.06) you are confused because you trust info from the Liebour Party. Not all of these would be quangos - they would be offices in govt deptartments. Big savings will occur when the big ones get abolished.

Is ToryBlog written by "Chad"? - I mean the guy who started out with ukip and has had so many disagreements with every group that he joins/starts that he always ends up as a one-man party? If so, explains everything about his comments.

RS @ 21.54 - the ability of MPs to scrutinise legislation is usually limited by this governments "programming" and time-tabling.This Liebour govt does not appreciate scrutiny.

Yes and DT journalist Andrew Porter is a drinking companion of Damien McBride. Time to cancel subscriptions to the Lieborgraph I think.

Don't worry - the SNP have no mandate in Hampshire!

Slightly O/T but not much. International development is also "ring fenced" in Tory plans.Our war in Afghanistan is about building up that country as well as defeating the bad guys. Therefore, use some of the Int Dev budget to properly equip our guys there.

As Ken Clarke said on CH4 this evening, much of what Cam talked about today came from KC's Democracy Policy group.

Chris Palmer - if you can't tell the difference between the Labour government and a potential Cameron government then you are either ignorant or biased.

Hopefully kippers will spend more time on IndHome and less on this one.

"On other blogs"- Cameron not trusted by Mary Ellen Synon - otherwise known as "The Bonk of England"? (ref Wikipedia)

Howard 12.38 You are so right about the "Human Rights Industry". The more complex the legal situation the more money for the lawyers! At the expense of the poor bleeding taxpayers.

Sally R 14.41 - UKIP Homeless - very good!