Why the Tories hate Europe

William Hague, shadow foreign secretary by day, Just William look-a-like by night has been shaking his Yorkshire fist at Europe again. He's just about as irate as his little body can bear.

First of all the UK should not have gone for the top foreign policy job because foreign policy is not really important (which is a curious position for a would-be Foreign Secretary, but that's where a 'don't mention the war' position eventually lands you I suppose).

Secondly he's in a tizz because the vital British job Brown should have gone for was that of the finance brief which has gone to some Johnny foreigner of all people. A Frenchman no less - so you can see why Hague is in a state about that.

Not only has the portfolio on "internal market and financial services" gone to someone who is French they aren't even in favour of the free market - despite having been nominated by frighteningly Blairish President Sarkozy. So here we come to it.

Michel Barnier, the successful applicant, has a desire to "tame the excesses of "Anglo-Saxon" capitalism" according to the Guardian. It gets worse for Hague because "The commission is keen to regulate hedge funds and overhaul supervision and regulation of the markets through new boards aimed at minimising risk and controlling the insurance, investment and banking sectors."

Mr Hague responding to the announcement that this red, who actually wants to regulate the financial sector has been given the reins of power, said "We repeatedly warned the government that going for the High Representative post and not a senior economic brief in the commission could have worrying results. Financial services are a vital British economic interest. The European commission's proposals have the potential to do serious harm to our financial services industry."

Some might think that, in the wake of recent events, it would be the responsible thing to do to regulate the financial sector. No. when it comes to a choice between destroying the economy or creating supervisory boards clearly the boards are a fate worse than death. A bit of a blow for anyone who hoped the conservatives might be a bit better at managing the economy than Brown inc.

Interestingly this commie, red in tooth and claw, is the Vice President of the European People's Party the European grouping that the Tories left recently. I guess Euro-Tories just weren't right-wing enough for them.