William Hague’s plan to reunite the right

William Hague is the man with a plan to deal with Ukip at next year’s European elections. At a fringe event hosted by the Conservatives in the European Parliament group this evening, Hague urged the assembled MEPs to take a tough message to the country, making sure they know what the Tories have done to reform and enhance our relationship with the EU.

As James Forsyth suggested in the Spectator last week, the message the Tories need to adopt is part carrot, part stick, to unite the right. The Foreign Secretary seems to have listened to his advice. On the the electoral carrot, Hague suggested a pact was needed with the voters:

‘It’s only by David Cameron being Prime Minister, not Ed Miliband, that we get a referendum on Europe in the United Kingdom. Therefore other parties, or people are inclined to support other parties, should be inclined to support us.

‘I think of it as making a pact with the voters of other parties.