Lymington Times – 19 October 1996

No doubt Euro-fanatics like R F Grant (Letters, October 12th) would like defenders of British sovereignty to stand as "anti-Europe" candidates rather than Conservatives, but in New Forest East there is no need for me to do so.

The Executive Council of the New Forest East Conservative Association recently voted unanimously for a resolution calling upon the Government "to give a clear commitment now, not to support the replacement of the Pound sterling by a single European currency; not to allow the European Union to have any control whatsoever over British Foreign or Defence policy; and not to permit any further weakening of our crucial link with the United States, upon which our safety and security depend".

I shall certainly be giving such a commitment to the electorate here, when the General Election is called.

As for the Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson (sic), who also wrote in last week, I only hope he is right to exclude the Liberal Democrats from any chance of participation in government. The only thing worse than the prospect of a majority Labour Government, would be the prospect of a minority Labour Government dependent on Liberal Democrat support in Parliament.

Such an alliance would give the Lib-Dems a stranglehold on Mr Blair, who would be forced to adopt their disastrous policies – including proportional representation. This would mean there would never again be a majority government in Westminster. The Liberal Democrats would always hold the balance of power, and would always be able to bring down any Prime Minister who defied the extremism and Euro-mania of Mr Ashdown and his crew.

Dr JULIAN LEWIS
Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate
New Forest East