Cameron dismisses suggestions of "bitterness" over Europe vote

David Cameron has ruled out any suggestion that there might be any bad blood or rancour over the rebellion on Europe earlier this week.

He told Sky News that "These [the rebels] are valued Conservative colleagues. I understand why people feel strongly and we'll go forward together and tackle the difficult decisions that the country faces.

"But you have to do the right thing and give a lead in politics, and that's what yesterday was about."

He added that there was "no bad blood, no rancour, no bitterness" over the fact that some people had taken a different view.

Comments

Jim said…
a question I always have over any issue is, are the whips morally correct? I understand people join political parties, as they have pretty much the same ideas, so it makes sense to surround yourself with like minded people. After all we are stronger together and all.

But when a vote in the house is over something on which an MP's constituents (the MP's employers if you will) have instructed, is it right for that MP's party to say "you must vote this way, regardless of what yourself or the people you represent feel, or you will face the consequences" ?
4:26 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
To quote Disraeli, "Parliamentary government is party government: you cannot have one without the other."

Overzealous whipping - which I don't believe happened in this case - can be a very bad thing, but I don't believe you can run a system where the country's executive is controlled by a parliament without some form of party whip.

The only democracies which don't have something very similar are those with directly-elected executive presidents, like the USA - and even they usually have a party caucus.
12:20 am
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