When presented with a cartoon picture of some boobs on a beer pump, Labour MPs in Westminster took us back to seventies student union politics and demanded it be banned. Jane Merrick’s column yesterday is well worth a read on the issue. Guido thinks the Sisters should take a leaf out of their European comrades book. Take for example the adverts for the EU Parliament’s in-house beautician.

Anyone offended on the continent?

Via England Expects

Guido brought you the news of Edward Leigh’s meeting for Euro-sceptics last night. The plan was to convene immediately after the last vote at 10pm to coordinate the backbench reaction to Cameron’s EU sell out. Canny Tory whips clearly had a better idea though – they texted Members at half an hour before to tell them not to worry about the last vote and to go on home.

Guido isn’t sure that will be enough to quell the anger though…

See also: Tory MPs Should Spank Whips With Own Words

Back in October Guido wrote:

“Though we all know that Red Ed is grubby statist at heart and painfully pro-European, he is also a shameless opportunist. If he really wanted to make an impact with ordinary, hard-working, sensible voters he should back the calls for the referendum. It would distance himself from lies of Brown and Blair over the issue and the betrayal of “cast iron” Cameron. “

Though he missed that boat, it seems Ed is up to something this morning. With Cameron retreating from Europe last night, failing to return with anything particularly substantial and giving up on his EU institution fight, this morning Ed fearlessly entered that den of interrogation know as the Daybreak studios to retaliate. And he caught Guido off guard:

“I’m very concerned about what David Cameron has done…He’s sold us down the river.”

Dave is in the Commons at 3.30. Let the Purple Alliance begin…

UPDATE:

Team Miliband deny Ed M playing the sceptic cards by accusing Cameron of selling UK down the river over EU summit deal.—
norman smith (@BBCNormanS) January 31, 2012

While Dave’s away, the backbenchers come out to play: Guido hears that the Eurosceptics and other assorted agitators on the Tory benches will be meeting to war-game and plot around the possible compromise on EU institutions and the European Stability Pact, in advance of the PM’s statement tomorrow. A meeting is scheduled for immediately after the 10pm vote tonight in Edward Leigh’s office. Strictly backbenchers only…

Who would have thought that a threat made at four in the morning would prove impossible to implement in the cold light of day. Before Christmas, while on a relative high from his EU spanner in the works, Fightin’ Dave was all mouth about EU institutions, but the dampening of expectations has begun this morning. A full retreat will be signalled when the Prime Minister arrives in Brussels this afternoon, but Hague has hit the airwaves to say that they were “not intending to take action about that now”. Another reverse move that could easily have been avoided. Many more of these and the words “defining” and “feature” will stick…

With the Tories leaving the European Peoples Party, MEPs have been keen to make sure they keep some influence in other movements, such as the The International Democrat Union – the formal gathering of centre-right parties across the globe. But clearly the young Conservatives here didn’t get that memo…

The IDU’s youth-wing (IYDU) has always been Atlanticist in its outlook. With more than a little help from Ashcroft, IYDU has been in British or UK-friendly hands – until now. At its recent AGM in Sydney, the pro-EU Germans reneged on a deal and knifed the Australian candidate for Chairman in the back. Pro-EU IYDU members have used funding from Brussels to unite to take over the IYDU, shutting out African and Commonwealth countries from its inner core. Any Euroscepticism in the group is being slowly squeezed out. But who would sell out the UK’s interests and let this happen? Well step forward the Chairman of Conservative Future…

There was no Dave-like veto for Ben Howlett, whose career highlights thus far have included infuriating everyone in the Tories from Tebbit down by declaring Gerry Adams was his favourite Irish politician, and having such a temper tantrum during a photo-shoot that the Standard photographer refused to take part. Howlett returned to Britain trumpeting the German takeover of the IYDU as a triumph for British interests. It is anything but that, although it is a triumph for him personally as he managed to get himself elected as an officer in a deal with the Germans. The friend of Gerry has now become the friend of Jerry, and Tory MEPs are fuming…

Today’s Mail has picked up on Guido’s scoops regarding the ongoing battle between CCHQ and Roger Helmer MEPs. Tory MPs are now bombarding the chairman’s office with letters demanding that Rupert Matthews is allowed to take over when Helmer resigns, in line with convention. One bit of shameless spin made Guido chuckle:

“However, if Mr Helmer stands down, the returning officer would ask Mr Matthews to become an MEP as the next in line Tory on the list. Party chiefs would have to approve his candidacy, however, and sources say they cannot do so because he has dropped off the list of candidates. A senior source denied Baroness Warsi was trying to manipulate the East Midlands list.”

A bit of dodgy briefing there. The only reason Matthews “has dropped off the list”, is because Warsi threw him off…

UPDATE: Guido understands Crick is doing a bit of a hatchet job on Rupert Matthews for Channel 4 News tonight.

Regular readers will be aware of the final battle between outgoing Tory MEP Roger Helmer and CCHQ. Helmer was meant to resign at the beginning of the month, but has refused to budge until Rupert Matthews, the next person on the East Midlands Tory list, has been confirmed as his successor. Tory Chairman Sayeeda Warsi has been pushing for a woman to be parachuted in instead, but it seems she is losing the fight. Guido’s eyes and ears in Strasbourg report that Matthews will be out there this week for meetings with Martin Callanan the Tory group leader, the Whips and assorted allies. Guido understands that he will even be at the enthronement of the new EU Parliament President, for his sins. It’s looking increasingly tough for Warsi to halt this now…

Sarkozy’s chances of re-election have taken a battering as France is no longer judged the safest of credit risks. What this means is that the French backed €uro bailout fund is no longer a AAA credit risk. Slovakia, Italy and Austria also got downgraded. Greek debt restructuring talks have broken down and Greek 10-year debt is trading at 20c/€ to face value. Which shows what the market thinks of  their chances of getting their €uros back… 

Co-conspirators who were following the blog over the Christmas break  will know that Roger Helmer has withdrawn his resignation pending problems with the succession. Helmer wants a guarantee that Rupert Matthews, the next candidate on the East Midlands party list, succeeds him. Tory party chairman Sayeeda Warsi is apparently insisting on someone other than Matthews, namely “a less-geeky woman”. This has not gone down well with the local party. 

Guido is now told by people in a position to know that it was Martin Callanan, leader of the Tory MEPs, who asked Helmer to stay on until at least 20 January, so that he could “participate in some crucial votes in the European Parliament”. So the delay was entirely at Martin’s request and had nothing to do with Rupert Matthews position. Given that Helmer’s single vote is unlikely to be crucial at the talking shop that is the European Parliament and in any event Matthews is of a like mind to Helmer, this line isn’t completely convincing. Nevertheless this is what they now want to have us believe…

UPDATE, January 5: Roger himself insists “I was asked by our delegation leader, Martin Callanan, to stay through January, for some key votes in the Jan Straz session.”