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Yesterday was a bad day for the political philosophy of Next Left's favourite Tory Eurosceptic libertarian Dan Hannan MEP.
Firstly, he's going to have to launch a leadership challenge to revive his dream of scrapping the NHS, with David Cameron ruling out Hannanism on health yesterday.
So let me make something clear, in terms that will no doubt disappoint some who dream of replacing the NHS with a different system. The reason we've ruled out changing the NHS to some kind of insurance-based system is not because I'm afraid of saying things the public won't like. There's no plan in the back of my mind to soften people up for ditching the NHS a few years after we've won an election. So those who might be pinning their hopes on a Conservative government, in the end, introducing insurance-based healthcare in Britain: you've got the wrong guy. It's not going to happen. Not in one year, not in five years, not ever as long as I'm in charge.
That might seems a pretty extraordinary statement for a party leader to have to make. But his number one candidate for the European Elections in the south-east has declared the NHS a "mistake". No doubt Hannan is playing a longer game on the NHS. (Should we watch out for that Boris bandwagon?)
Secondly (and perhaps getting rather more to the roots of Hannanism), the Icelandic government now believes it has Parliamentary support to open EU accession talks.
As we noted after the elections, there is all to play for here - with government, Parliament and public all divided over Europe, and so the coalition is relying on some opposition support to get its policy through. Gwladys Fouche notes that a new poll shows support is now running two to one for an application for membership, though that leaves open the question of the decision to be made at the end of the negotiation.
The Prime Minister has said: "We want Iceland as soon as possible to join the European Union and adopt the euro,"
I imagine Hannan will be getting involved in the no campaign, while Brussels is keen to get Iceland in.
But the irony for both sides may be that Iceland within the EU would provide another somewhat sceptical voice consigning the old Federal Europe project to the history books.
PS: But credit where its due: Let's note that Hannan has got the expenses scandals pretty much right, and can claim to have been advocating a sensible reform package for some considerable time. (I don't know I am for fewer MPs and larger constituencies, but several of his other points are good ones, including open primaries).
And I think he's right that the Speaker should go too.
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