Two perspectives from James Snell and John Sargeant
James Snell: ‘Coming off the Fence on Europe’
I like Michael Gove a lot – in fact, I think he’s one of the best Conservative ministers we have and are likely to enjoy for some time to come; but I’m a little saddened by his wanting Britain to leave the European Union. Not, I think, necessarily because this requires him to team up with two of the most unpleasant political figures in the country – the dual horrors of Nigel Farage and George Galloway, who represent living proof that extremists of Left and Right eventually come to resemble each other – but because in many ways it makes the case for remaining a little less attractive.
Gove is a profoundly empathetic figure, and one who, it seems to me, has genuinely honest and noble intentions. The cosy consensus or easy answer is not enough for him – and the fact that this is a remarkable trait says enough about how ministers of his calibre and quality are needed.
He has done great, pioneering work in education; and (though this is hardly my area of expertise) he seems to be working the same magic in justice too, where he replaces a minister whom many of my more legally minded friends consider a profoundly negative influence.
All of these actions – in addition to his almost singularly principled stance on many recent foreign policy debates – make his case considerably harder to answer than those advanced by the aforementioned relics and wrecks. He is not a politician to trade on faux bonhomie or outright racially-tinged pandering (and nor, unlike Galloway or Farage, is it easy to imagine Gove praising dictators in the mould of Vladimir Putin or Bashar al-Assad).
But difficult though it is, answering Gove’s case is an essential one; in a very substantial way, he offers the decent face of the Out campaign. And it would not do to avoid these arguments and these opponents.
Do read the rest here
John Sargeant: ‘Gove’s Leaving Statement’
June 23rd will settle one of the longest rows that has existed in modern British politics – whether the UK remains in or leaves the European Union.
Gove’s statement making the case for leaving had a few choice phrases in it:
“The EU is built to keep power and control with the elites rather than the people”
That is rather the problem with most democracies – check the background of the people at the Cabinet table next time Gove, and bare in mind 65% of the people not voting for your party still gives you a majority to control legislation.
“your government is not, ultimately, in control in hundreds of areas that matter.”
To which end, Gove gave an example of olive oil being contained in maximum five litre containers. No mention this is about standardisation, and purity control by amount stored. Or that Member States can go beyond this amount, but our own government after a consultation where one respondent (out of seven people in UK that had) asked for such an increase was refused by our own Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA):
Also, spare a thought for domestic moggies living in newly built housing being kept a minimum distance from birds on heathland. How dare we think of preserving wildlife as best we can. British born cats should be given the freedom to hunt migrating birds as much as possible, in Gove’s new independent UK. Might help keep migration numbers down.
Do read the rest here
