'Being Eurosceptic and being a nasty wanker are not the same thing. '

Oh agreed! I think its understandable from the wartime generation.

I remember when Nicohlas Ridley made his departing eurosceptic gaffe, I was chuckling with an old teaching mate who was a tory councillor about it - just how moderate Ridley's remarks were about Europe compared to most people Ridley's age......

I think to be honest - even our generation grew up with everyone around us saying the only good German is a dead one, and we were the generation satirised by Clousseau, Cleese's goose step and the 'going for an English' sketch. In short we had some prettyrepulsive aspects.

Having said that, when a young tory comes out with the 'little England line ' particularly one with a reasonable education. There really is only one plausible explanation - he is toadying to racists. he knows how much trade we do with Europe, he knows we aren't going to leave the EU. Its like fourteen year old William Haigh asking for more corporal punishment in schools. One senses a toadying little tyke - in short a nasty little wanker.