If one wanted to get inside the thinking of some of the more violently Euro-sceptic MPs you could hardly wish to find a better example just before Hansard Column 799 HERE on 1st February 2011 during a debate on some clauses of the European Union Bill that was passing through the house.
Listen to this from Andrew Percy MP for Goole:
"Does my hon. Friend share my embarrassment at the very idea that people from Australia, Canada and New Zealand—our Commonwealth brethren —are made to wait at our borders while we have absolutely no control over people coming here from 20-odd countries in Europe?".
The Commonwealth is made up of 52 nations from Antigua to Zambia, and 2.3 billion people. With the exception perhaps of Cyprus and Malta, Mr Percy has somehow managed to list the only nations with a majority white population representing about 2.5% of the population. He seems to have overlooked India (1.27 billion), Bangladesh (158 million), Pakistan (189 million) and Nigeria (183 million). He does not seem to be embarrassed if they are made to wait at our borders. He doesn't think of them as our Commonwealth brethren presumably.
It couldn't be anything to do with the fact they are all black or Asian countries could it? What does that tell us about Mr Percy? Was it a Freudian slip? He is now by the way a junior government minister at the DCLG.
The Commonwealth is made up of 52 nations from Antigua to Zambia, and 2.3 billion people. With the exception perhaps of Cyprus and Malta, Mr Percy has somehow managed to list the only nations with a majority white population representing about 2.5% of the population. He seems to have overlooked India (1.27 billion), Bangladesh (158 million), Pakistan (189 million) and Nigeria (183 million). He does not seem to be embarrassed if they are made to wait at our borders. He doesn't think of them as our Commonwealth brethren presumably.
It couldn't be anything to do with the fact they are all black or Asian countries could it? What does that tell us about Mr Percy? Was it a Freudian slip? He is now by the way a junior government minister at the DCLG.
