IT’S interesting how sometimes events seem to happen all at once.
First, uncontrolled immigration sparks a national debate, then the EU imposes a wealth tax on us of some £1.7 billion and, now, the Lib Dems kill off the Conservatives’ EU Referendum Bill.
Naturally, they claim otherwise.
Currently, the Conservatives are the only Party offering a referendum on this vexed question if they win the next general election.
We haven’t had a say on the EU since the last referendum in 1975 and the club has changed beyond recognition since then.
In my view, the British people deserve another one.
Meanwhile, we face a massive bill and punitive charges if we don’t pay this £1.7 billion by 1 December.
Some commentators smell an EU plot to undermine the Prime Minister.
Others, though, claim we have known about this raid on our coffers for some time.
David Cameron told us on Monday that he would “crawl through this in exhaustive detail”.
He added that demands like this “will not have enhanced the reputation of the European Union in the United Kingdom”.
That’s a British understatement, if ever I heard one.
During the debate, I suggested to Mr Cameron that we adopt the common sense solution and return to the trade agreement we thought we’d agreed to originally.
Other colleagues made excellent points, not least the fact that the EU’s accounts have not been signed off for 18 years.
That, alone, is quite extraordinary when you consider the sums of money involved.
My outspoken colleague Philip Davies suggested we tell the EU to put their demands in a place that doesn’t shine!
Oh, if only.
As I’ve said, repeatedly, trade, yes, but political and financial union, no.