We are only vulnerable and ridiculous through our pretensions.

Owen Paterson should have taken note of author Delphine de Girardin’s quotation that is the title of this article before allowing himself to be tied up in knots by each successive pro EU BBC interviewer – see above video.
Owen Paterson is one of those rare Tory MPs for he does indeed Get It. Owen Paterson is the first politician to effectively declare what the British Gazette has been informing it’s readers of late:
– That the European Union is going to reform itself into a federal superstate as this is the only way that the Euro can be preserved.
– That the “opt out” [from joining the Euro] Sir John Major secured means that the UK will have a choice: Join the Eurozone and surrender what little is left of national sovereignty OR continue to be in the “single market” by joining the European Economic Area (EEA).
This is the choice that is going to be put to the British People in a referendum.
NB: It is now clear that this referendum WILL take place WHATEVER party or coalition of the Europhile parties (Conservative, Green, SNP, Labour, Liberal Democrat or Plaid Cymru) that form the UK’s government after the May 2015 General Election. This is why Mr Miliband made the commitment he did: that Labour would hold a referendum were there to be a treaty ceding MORE powers to the EU.
In our article
http://www.british-gazette.co.uk/2014/11/13/the-cost-of-freedom-membership-of-the-eu/
we drew the Reader’s attention to the fact that a return of powers to the UK from the EU would not require a referendum, but it is now clear that a referendum will take place to offer the British People a choice of belonging to a federal superstate called the European Union or a “free trade relationship” with that state by being a member of the EEA.
All the talk about “renegotiation” [Cameron] and “only if there is treaty change” [Miliband] are political manoeuvrings.
Owen Paterson’s contribution to the debate by his suggestion of invoking Article 50 to withdraw from the EU is nothing more than political manoeuvring, and a logically absurd one at that – for invoking this clause sets the country on a irrevocable course that makes a nonsense of having a referendum at the end of it!
Now that is out of the way, let us address the REAL ISSUE: Should the UK remain in the EEA after 2020?
NB: Membership of the EEA allows access to the “Single Market” but the price is continued subjugation to EU Directives, continued payments to the EU and continuation of the “Free Movement of People.”
It DOES allow the UK represent itself on bodies such as the World Trade Organisation and (possibly) restoration the UK’s fishing grounds (Belgium, France and Spain will seek to stop this).
British Gazette readers will note that UKIP was not mentioned. This is because UKIP is a party that (hopefully) is campaigning for Lawful Sovereign Government to be restored to the UK.
The reason for the qualification is that it has to be noted that membership of the EEA will mean that the UK does NOT have sovereign government as the Privy Council Oath is quite clear: No Foreign Prince, Potentate or Power shall have precedence in this land. That means no EU and none of its Directives. Further, since EU Directives cannot be described as “Our Laws and Customs” EEA membership means that Her Majesty the Queen is still put in breach of her Coronation Oath.
This however is a debate that is not necessary to pursue at the moment. There is no point. As a result, UKIP’s strategy should be clear: Avoid entering ANY coalition with the Tories! That is unless Nigel Farage wants to be as popular in 2020 as Nick Clegg is now!
So, what difference will there be between a Conservative government or a Labour government?
Well, on tackling the UK’s deficit very little. That is because the international money markets and the UK’s many creditors WILL NOT ALLOW Labour to pursue much in the way of extra borrowing.
There is a strong likelihood that Labour will be in coalition with the SNP and therefore we will see Scotland isolated from austerity whilst England will continue to suffer. The biggest changes will be constitutional. Labour will wish to see the establishment of Elected Regional Assemblies – with far fewer powers than those given to Scotland – to enable it to answer the West Lothian Question.
Many British Gazette readers will have campaigned against regional assemblies but they are a lifeline for UKIP as their almost certain use [even in part] of PR will secure it elected members and be a base on which to build.
Therefore, when Cameron and his colleagues will declare “If you vote UKIP you will get Labour” one should vote UKIP and do not worry at the prospect of getting Labour.