Harold Wilson: Historic Role Model
In 2013 we have two examples of people following the excellent example of the old fox Harold Wilson British Prime Minister from 1964 to 1970 and 1974 to 1976.
David Cameron, as others (e.g. Dominic Sandbrook in the Daily Mail) have pointed out, has copied the Wilson approach to the EU to deal with the split in his Party between pro- and anti- EU factions. Essentially: promise a renegotiation followed by an in-out referendum to keep the Eurosceptics happy, come back with minor concessions which are spun to look bigger than they are, campaign during the referendum for acceptance of the new terms with the support of the political centre, the CBI and the TUC, and hope to win the referendum to stay in.
This is a skillful political approach - if you are a good negotiator and canny political operator and the referendum works out as you hope it will. In Wilson's time, UK membership of the EEC( as it then was) was only three years old. Now we are more closely linked in so a "No" would be much more disruptive.
However, Wilson's example is not followed only in politics. Today's announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he is resigning at the end of the month due to health issues echoes Wilson's 1976 resignation when he realised he was no longer up to the job of Prime Minister.
As the preacher said:
David Cameron, as others (e.g. Dominic Sandbrook in the Daily Mail) have pointed out, has copied the Wilson approach to the EU to deal with the split in his Party between pro- and anti- EU factions. Essentially: promise a renegotiation followed by an in-out referendum to keep the Eurosceptics happy, come back with minor concessions which are spun to look bigger than they are, campaign during the referendum for acceptance of the new terms with the support of the political centre, the CBI and the TUC, and hope to win the referendum to stay in.
This is a skillful political approach - if you are a good negotiator and canny political operator and the referendum works out as you hope it will. In Wilson's time, UK membership of the EEC( as it then was) was only three years old. Now we are more closely linked in so a "No" would be much more disruptive.
However, Wilson's example is not followed only in politics. Today's announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he is resigning at the end of the month due to health issues echoes Wilson's 1976 resignation when he realised he was no longer up to the job of Prime Minister.
As the preacher said:
"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is doneis that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun."
Labels: David Cameron, EU, Eurosceptics, Harold Wilson, History, Pope Benedict XVI, Referendum, Resignation, Split Party, Wisdom
posted by Ian Snaith at 5:42 AM
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