The spin from Blair is that if the Tories were to leave the Christian Democrat dominated EPP they would end up in bed with UKIP fruitcakes and neo-fascists. So the news that Alleanza Nazionale is currently applying to join the EPP will come as something of a shock. To be fair describing the AN as neo-fascist makes as much sense as describing the British Labour party as eugenecist because the Webbs advocated sterilising the poor.

Neverthess it is true that the EPP is considering Alleanza Nazionale’s application to join. So if the Tories don’t leave the EPP…