Old friend writes a new paper!

Nirj with friend

One of the most charming people I have met in contemporary politics is Nirj Deva who is currently a Conservative MEP for the South East region.

I first met Nirj when he was the MP for Brentford and Isleworth. I was never sure if it was his affinity with that area or his Sri Lankian origins that made him the natural choice to for John Major to appoint him as a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Scottish Office !!!

After the good people of Brentworth rejected his talents in the great rout of 1997 in favour of the stupefyingly dull Blairite Ann Keen, Nirj sought political asylum from the EU!

Outside politics, he has been very active in recent years in supporting victims of the Tsumani, doing some great work as well as raising the awareness of the dehabilitating affect of autism.

We have had some fun moments on the campaign trail over the years- I will never forget the amazed impression from the waiter and other diners at the long-gone Chutneys in London Road where Nirj tucked into the restaurant's hottest curry that he cheerfully topped up with fresh chillies after asking for it to be made extra hot!

I see the Bow Group now publish Nirj's thought provoking paper 'Who governs Britain' on-line at their website which provides much food for thought for fans and critics of the EU alike. Nirj's article may not break any new ground (best see Booker and North's
'Great Deception' for that) but it is representative of a powerful strain within the Conservative Party that believe the EU is not the organisation that Britain joined nor the British people voted to stay in in 1975 and that as currently organised, the EU is too unaccountable.

Be good to see you soon Nirj!