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It is ironic to say the least that Baroness Ashton who worked to
unilaterally remove Britain's nuclear weapons is now the European
Union's
High Representative for Foreign Security and Defence Policy and responsible
for the foreign and defence policies of the European nuclear powers: Britain
and France
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Bruges Group research shows that the EU’s proposed financial services
regulations are set to destroy thousands of well-paid jobs in the City of
London. These jobs – like those in manufacturing – will be forced out of the
UK; losing Britain many talented professionals. Almost certainly the financial
services industry will go to Asia. The EU now threatens the long term
prosperity of the City of London and, by extension, the London and UK
economies
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British taxpayers will lose at least £9.7 billion due to rulings by
the European Court of Justice. These tax blows to the nation’s finances,
coming at a time when the Government is struggling with our huge national
debt, could have been prevented. However, Ken Clarke and his successor, Gordon
Brown, as Chancellor failed to act on advice to amend EU tax rules. Now the
only option to protect British tax law from EU interference is for the UK to
regain its freedom
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Having failed to deliver on his promise to oppose Lisbon in office, David
Cameron now promises to oppose future treaties transferring power. The whole
point of Lisbon is that it does away with such treaties in future. Does David
Cameron really not understand this, or is he again trying to play games with
words? David Cameron refuses to say how he’ll able to convince every single
other EU state to agree to hand back powers to Britain. He refuses to say what
he’ll do if they don’t. He refuses to say what timescale he is working to. He
refuses to say what he expects to give up in negotiations
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The Bruges Group made the following statement in response to the news that
David Cameron intends to renege on his pledge to hold a referendum on the
Lisbon Treaty
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As faith in our elected representatives is at an all time low, the Bruges
Group invited the broadcasters and columnists Simon Heffer and Peter Hitchens
to discuss, alongside Barry Legg, the topic of; Are the political parties
failing the voters of Britain? This event was reported on Newsnight and in a
number of newspapers
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For the past 15 years, Conservative MEPs have been shackled to a political
group that does not share their beliefs - the centrist and corporatist
European Peoples Party. That body is strongly in favour of an
"ever-closer union" and the gradual establishment of an EU
superstate - anathema to true Conservatives
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Mr Cameron's pledge was to leave the EPP within a matter of days. Those
days became a gap of three and a half years.
In the face of questions on the future Conservative alliance in Brussels, the
Bruges Group proclaims its vocal support for the rapid and determined
establishment of a new centre-right grouping in the European Parliament; and
re-launches its original Adieu-EPP campaign which advocated the case for
separation from the European People's Party
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Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch UK, will speak to the Bruges
Group on Wednesday 20th May. The meeting will be at 7.00pm at the Foreign
Press Association. Sir Andrew Green will also outline a research paper
published by Migrationwatch on the same day, which gives a full survey of EU
asylum policy over the last 20 years
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As a result of Labour surrendering our nation’s democracy any future
Conservative government will find itself to be in office but not in power. At
this event the Bruges Group discussed their EU policy and looked at what the
Conservative Party should be doing to reclaim our independence
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The apparent decision by David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative
Party, to allow Kenneth Clarke to return to the Shadow Cabinet but to be able
to continue to disagree with the leader’s policies on the European Union is
unprecedented
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After the EU agreed its 'Economic Recovery Plan' José Manuel
Barroso said “Europe has passed its credibility test”. Yet, the Bruges Group’s
detailed examination of the EU’s economic policies in The EU’s Credibility
Crunch finds that the European Union has been a major contributor to the
economic malaise in Europe and is not a credible body to face the challenges
of the downturn. And is using the economic crisis to expand its power;
particularly by using it as an excuse to push for the Lisbon Treaty to be
ratified and even to re-start the debate in Britain on joining the euro
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The price of the combined direct and indirect expenses of EU membership in
2008 costs Britain £55.775 billion. Set out in the latest Bruges Group
research by UKIP MEP Gerard Batten, the full financial burden to Britain has
now been calculated. They show a dramatic increase in the costs of the EU - A
price Britain cannot afford
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Dinner in the Presence of
Baroness Thatcher
Václav Klaus
The Rt. Hon Lord Tebbit of Chingford, CH
The Rt Hon. Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, FRS
It is time for the principles so eloquently set out by Lady Thatcher in
1988 to be embraced. Norman Tebbit called on the Conservative Party to take
early action and resolve the European question. Calling on a Conservative
Government to show ‘Thatcherite courage and determination’
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How proposed changes to corporation tax will damage the UK economy by
reducing GDP by £73 billion and cutting investment by £58.4
billion over 10 years
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Saturday, 20th September 2008 was the twentieth anniversary of Margaret
Thatcher's seminal Bruges Speech in which she outlined an alternative
vision for Britain and Europe. Margaret Thatcher’s speech is as true today as
it was twenty years ago
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In this paper it is explained how successive British governments have
surrendered our democracy to layers of international bureaucracy which have
acquired completely unaccountable power over our legal, political, economic
and social decisions. At the heart of the matter, Professor Minogue argues, is
the curious form of idealism that disdains pride in Britain and British
culture, preferring to give allegiance to a far more vaguely defined ideology
of internationalism. This rejection of national sovereignty, and the
subsequent embracing of unaccountable transnational institutions, as advocated
by our political establishment, has led to the British people submitting to
more and more authority which comes dressed as virtue
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British eurosceptic think-tank, the Bruges Group, has welcomed the Irish
'No' vote to the Lisbon Treaty, which is nothing more than the
Constitutional Treaty Mark II. The Constitutional Treaty had been rejected by
the people of France and Netherlands. Now the people of Ireland, the only
country that had a referendum on Lisbon, have also rejected the re-heated EU
Constitution. The peoples of other member states were refused a say on the
Lisbon Treaty
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This paper looks at the development of the regulatory structure and the
forces that drive it – political ambition, the need for officials to make a
mark for their career, single-issue lobbying organisations that do not have to
deal with the consequences and, above all, the European Union. It analyses the
sorry state of affairs we have found ourselves in, gives examples and even
provides the solutions of how to create a freer and more harmonious society -
better able to help each individual achieve his or her potential
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In 2005 every major party promised that the people of the United Kingdom
will have a referendum on the Constitutional Treaty. The Lisbon Treaty is
clearly no different from the previous one. This has been affirmed by numerous
political leaders and commentators. Yet the government, Labour MPs and the
Liberal-Democrats do not intend to honour their promise and vote for the
referendum amendment
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2007 Conference
Gerard Batten MEP
Christopher Booker
Bernard Connolly
Dr Anthony Coughlan
Marc Glendenning
Roger Helmer MEP
Martin Howe QC
Ruth Lea
Cllr Steve Radford
The Rt Hon. John Redwood MP
The conference showed how the EU's revived and renamed constitution
threatens you and exposed what the EU plans for us next
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On Thursday, 15th November, the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband MP, made
a speech on the European Union. This was made in the College of Europe, Bruges
– where Margaret Thatcher delivered her famous Bruges Speech, from which the
Bruges Group derived its name.
Referring directly to Margaret Thatcher’s original Bruges Speech the Foreign
Secretary set out his vision for the EU in 2030.
In short, David Miliband’s attempt to set out his vision for Europe is in
reality just a weak attempt to sidestep the debate about the government’s
failure to keep their promise on a referendum and divert attention away from
the facts of EU membership. In this he will surely fail.
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An EU whistleblower vindicated; calamitous mistakes by British ministers
that threaten to land farmers with major bills; railway companies receiving
CAP grants; and the tale of the pampered sheep. Dr Lee Rotherham for the
Bruges Group takes the reader on a whistlestop tour of the latest European
Court of Auditors Report
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Two years ago the Bruges Group predicted the path of the EU treaty and
warned of the consequences of railroading integration on Britain. Now the
Bruges Group looks at what will happen next. And how Britain can finally
resolve the EU question and become a good neighbour to the continent, rather
than being an overcharged lodger
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Gordon Brown’s surrender in Portugal will sign Britain up to a Treaty that
will allow the European Union to undermine the last vestiges of Britain’s
competitive free market, bringing to an end the reforms introduced by Margaret
Thatcher.
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The Bruges Group has uncovered that the revived and renamed EU Constitution
will blow a hole wide open in Britain’s borders allowing the EU to take full
control over Britain’s asylum and immigration policies
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Gordon Brown’s Government has watered down the UK’s opt-out on justice
& security matters so that it becomes almost meaningless. As the text of
the new treaty to be decided at the IGC Summit this month has become
available, no doubt can remain in anybody’s mind that this is the same treaty
that was rejected two years ago by the electorates of France and the
Netherlands. The Bruges Group has pointed to many aspects of the text that
show that those politicians who maintained that the constitution had been
saved were right and our own government has been economical with the truth
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As the Conservative Party Conference gets underway the Bruges Group calls
for the Conservative Party to stand firm on the subject of the referendum and
to make it central to their political campaign
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Gordon Brown's Government is handing-over billions of pounds of
taxpayers' money to the EU.
The combined direct and indirect costs of EU membership will cost Britain this
year over £114,000 per minute.
As a result of the Government's surrendering of the UK's rebate, and
the mounting costs of pointless EU regulation, this figure is set to rise even
further
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The Bruges Group has today pointed out that the European Council has, in
effect carried out a coup d’état in the European Union by usurping the
powers of the member states’ governments. In its conclusions and attached
documents, the European Council has issued a mandate to the Inter-Governmental
Conference, something it has no right to do.
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Referring directly to the once thought dead EU Constitution the IGC mandate
agreement, under the guise of bringing forth a new treaty to reform the EU,
will bring in the key aspects contained in the Constitution that were rejected
in the French and Dutch referenda
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Tuesday 1st May 2007, is the Tercentenary of the founding of Great Britain.
The Bruges Group will be hosting a gala dinner to mark this auspicious date,
and to send a powerful message to those that want to divide it
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On Saturday, the Bruges Group will be holding a major conference in Kings
College London. This conference will pave the way for withdrawal from the
European Union and begin forcing this important issue onto the political
agenda
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The European Union Court of Auditors released on Tuesday, 24th October it’s
key assessment on how our money is spent.
In a damning indictment of the Brussels institutions, the clear message of the
EU’s very own Court of Auditors report is one of fraud, mismanagement and
waste.
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In the face of questions on the future Conservative alliance in Brussels,
the Bruges Group today
proclaims its vocal support for a rapid and determined Conservative withdrawal
from the European
Peoples' Party
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The European Court of Juctice ruling delivered on Tuesday, 16th May
regarding the case of Yvonne Watts. The British Government attempted to argue
that the unique nature of the NHS meant that it was not an area in which EU
was relevant has been overturned. This leaves the EU free to begin interfering
in British health care matters. In short, NHS health care now has the legal
status of any other commodity and service which can be bought and sold and
will therefore become a subject for EU regulation just like every other
transaction
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On Thursday, 6th April 2006 the Advocate General issued an opinion today,
which if followed by the European Court of Justice, will poke another hole in
British tax sovereignty. It will mean that dividends paid from EU companies
to the UK should be exempt from tax, rather than taxed as they currently are
under UK law
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The Advocate General on Thursday, 15th December, gave his long awaited
ruling on the case of Yvonne Watts who, because of the long NHS waiting lists
had to go abroad to recieve treatment. This decision is set to be ratified by
the European Court of Justice in the spring. Combined with provisions in the
EU treaties this decision covers much more than allowing one person to have
the costs of a hip operation reimbursed. It paves the way for the EU to extend
its powers into the area of health care
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Today the ECJ ruled on British tax law. The long awaited judgement from the
unaccountable ECJ could cost the British taxpayer billions of Pounds. The fact
that the EU has overturned UK tax law shows that Blair’s famous red-line,
which he claimed he secured when the EU Constitution was being drafted, was in
fact a red-herring. British governments had already surrendered the UK’s right
to determine about 20% of this country’s taxation. The decision today shows
that the EU has usurped the right to make UK tax laws. The ECJ has struck-out
well-established UK rules in pursuing the Brussels goal of tax harmonisation.
This will cause uncertainty for business and government funding. The
government has known about this risk since at least 1999, and should now act
to bring back control of the UK’s tax affairs
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Lord Lamont demands answers from Jack Straw for possible infringement of
Bruges Group copyright. Astonishingly, the British Government has started its
Presidency of the EU by producing a logo that is strikingly similar to one
owned by the Bruges Group
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Alternatives to EU federalism and Conservative MPs and the Bruges Group
deliver a petition to No. 10 Downing Street demanding that the PM halts
implementing elements of the EU Constitution
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The EU Constitution is meant to be dead yet the Government is allowing the
EU to implement key aspects of the Constitution despite it being rejected in
two referendums. If the Prime Minister were to block the implementation of
those costly measures there would be less need to surrender any of Britain’s
rebate
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A referendum is still urgently needed.
The British people still need to be consulted on the EU Constitution
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The Europe of Delors, Mitterand and Kohl is dead. No means no. Europe’s
self-serving political elite will make a profound mistake and create an
awakening of bitterness if they try to sidestep France’s historic vote
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The failure to develop a fully Eurosceptic policy and the missed
opportunity of making "Europe", in just a small way, a part of the
Conservatives Party's election campaign has handicapped them and allowed
Labour to retain a sizeable majority. Clearly, the Conservatives cannot afford
to ignore neither "Europe" nor UKIP at the next election, if they
are to stand a chance of winning and forming a government
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To highlight the importance of the European question as an election issue a
senior member of the Bruges Group, Dr Lee Rotherham, is standing against the
Europhile Europe Minister Denis MacShane in the constituency of Rotherham. The
voters will be invited to decide
Who Governs Britain? Westminster or Brussels?
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A Government with guts can turn rejection of the EU Constitution into a
positive vision of Europe: democratic, open, and popular, with
Parliament's role restored. The Bruges Group have provided a blueprint to
turn defeat of the Constitution into an enduring victory for democracy. This
is Europe's last chance
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As the ridiculous back-room negotiations about the new Commission go on and
the members of the European Parliament display their petulance, the Bruges
Group welcomes the display of true democracy and constitutionalism of the
United States
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The Signing of the EU Constitution: a typically undemocratic day for the
EU. The Constitutional Treaty that Tony Blair signed today is not a tidying up
exercise – it is the latest and biggest step in the creation of a country
called the European Union.
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The decision by the European Court of Justice reveals the power vacuum at
the heart of the European Union's aspirations", - says Professor Tim
Congdon CBE, author of the Bruges Group pamphlet, 'Will the EU's
Constitution Rescue its Currency? Oliver Letwin MP said that, "The
decision shows the direction of thought of the ECJ, armed with the EU
Constitution, it will be all to likely to interpret the Constitution as giving
a large amount of power over the economies of the member states to the central
EU institutions"
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The European Union's Galileo project is a threat to peace and could
force Britain to decide which side of the Atlantic her loyalties really lie.
Galileo could well prove to be the Trojan horse that finally destroys the
Atlantic alliance, as well as breaking up what is left of the special
relationship between the UK and the US
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Blair has surrendered control over Britain's economic and employment
policy. This undermines democracy and threatens prosperity. It is a strange
state of affairs that in the week when the Labour Party celebrates a 30,000
drop in unemployment its leader agrees to a Constitution that will, if
ratified, lead to the enforcement of policies that are responsible for the
high unemployment in France, Germany and Spain.
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We take no pleasure at all in welcoming the countries that more than ten
years ago courageously defeated Communism into another, though not so
oppressive, supranational, centralised, over-regulated, over-bureaucratised
state
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Tony Blair has little choice but to call a referendum on the A referendum
on the EU Constitution in Britain, along with those taking part on the
Continent, will clearly show that many EU member states manifest destiny is
not to be part of a centralised EU.
The long term implications of Tony Blair’s failed European policy (trying to
influence integration by capitulation) will be to divide the EU. Tony Blair
has pushed the British people too far.
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In the House of Commons on Tuesday, 30th March 2004 Jack Straw envisaged
that the UK may withdraw from the European Union if it follows through with
its policies to standardise health care provision
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The UK is increasingly in the position where we cannot take action to
improve health care without first tackling the ‘European’ question
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The Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer speaking to a Bruges Group seminar
on the economic consequences of the EU Constitution
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The Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin, MP exposes the Criminal Justice implications of
the draft EU Constitution
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John Bercow seeks to analyse the history of subsidiarity. He rebutts the
claim that the EU Constitution safeguards the role of national Parliaments,
instead he says that it will accelerate the EU’s legislative imperialism
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The probable economic consequences of the draft EU Constitution, the
already present economic disaster of European integration and future
developments
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The EU Inter-Governmental Conference will begin in Rome on Saturday, 4th.
Therefore, the Bruges Group has commissioned a leading Barrister – Leolin
Price, CBE, QC – to give a legal opinion on the draft
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Tony Blair talks to the Conference Hall but fails to address the nation
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The close of the European Convention
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Future British Governments must become leaders in the quest for
a European and global free-trade association. The positive alternatives to
the EU exist and must be vigorously pursued.
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At the Thessalonica negotiations Tony Blair must veto Valéry Giscard
d’Estaing’s plans and push for the positive alternative of a Europe of
co-operating, democratic and freetrading nation-states
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 20th JUNE 2003
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Mr Oliver Letwin will discuss the EU Constitution and the threat it poses
to Britain’s legal system. Mr Letwin will also increase the pressure on the
Government to call a referendum on this issue
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Statement by Lord Lamont of Lerwick, Co-Chairman of the Bruges Group on the
Chancellor of the Exchequer’s statement on the euro.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9th JUNE 2003
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Statement prior to Gordon Brown's 'political' decision about
the euro
Embargoed until midnight 8th June 2003
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Comment on Valery Giscard d'Estaing's plans for European Union
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26th MAY 2003
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Oliver Letwin, MP supports the Bruges Group paper which voices our concerns
regarding the threat to free speech posed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 21st MAY 2003
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Tony Blair’s Government is steadily signing Britain up to the illiberal and
authoritarian Unitary European Superstate, where civil liberties do not
apply
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On the 30th Anniversary of the United Kindgom's Accesion to the
European Union the Bruges Group assesses the consequences of membership
EMBARGOED UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON 31ST DECEMBER 2002
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Iain Duncan Smith comes out fighting and the Bruges Group come out in
support.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 7th November 2002
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 19TH SEPTEMBER 2002. Extracts from a speech by Norman
Lamont, Vice-President of the Bruges Group, to the Allied Irish Bank in Dublin
at 6.30pm on Thursday 19th September 2002. Where he talked about the lessons
of the ERM for Britain and the euro.
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The Bruges Group's campaign against EU propaganda finds support on the
Continent EMBARGOED UNTIL MIDNIGHT 19th June 2002
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The propagandist activities of the European Union come under fire in the
new Bruges Group paper No. 45 'Federalist Thought Control: The Brussels
Propagands Machine EMBARGOED until midnight 18th June 2002
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John Redwood, MP will take part in Bruges Group press conference attacking
the Brussels propaganda machine EMBARGOED UNTIL 10.30am Tuesday
18th June 2002
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Statement by the Rt Hon. Lord Lamont of Lerwick on the EU’s celebration of
Europe Day – 9th May
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Launch of New Paper No. 44
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Statement by the Rt Hon. Lord Lamont of Lerwick, Vice-President of the
Bruges Group, on the introduction of euro notes and coins
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In a new Bruges Group Paper, Dr Cris Shore details the way a ‘culture of
supranationalism’ has been used to advance European Union integration. Dr
Shore’s studies of the EU bureaucracy itself reveal a culture mired in
scandals, corruption and nepotism – a stark warning for the peoples of Europe.
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Discussed at the Bruges Group’s International Conference, November 2001
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3rd October 2001
Britain and Europe: The Culture of Deceit by Christopher Booker
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2nd October 2001
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 17th September 2001
Terrorist attack on US | Election of Conservative Leader
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Stop-Ken-Clarke-Camapign
For Immediate Release: 20th August 2001
Political supporters throughout the UK are lobbied to prevent the Europhile
Ken Clarke from taking over the Conservative Party
Statement distributed to Conservative: MPs, MEPs, Welsh AMs, Constituency
Chairman and PPCs
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 17th June 2001
Clarke’s Proposed Fudge of the Euro Issue Will Take the Conservative Party
Back to the Divisions of the Major Era
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Dirty tricks from BiE and Irish PM's attacks on the Bruges Group's
support for the ‘no’ campaign fail, as Irish reject the Nice Treaty.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9th June 2001
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Lord Lamont Vice-President of the Bruges Group says:
"...this case was a tragic, illiberal, unnecessary
and appalling waste of public money."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10th April 2001
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Release date: 20th October 2000
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Release date: 29th September 2000
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Extracts of a speech to the Bruges Group on the Treaty of Nice
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Launch of Latest Paper No. 40
by Dr Martin Holmes
Co-chairman of the Bruges Group
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