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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| IF... (a verse for David Cameron) | IF... (a verse for David Cameron) |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Article written by James Landale Deputy political editor | Article written by James Landale Deputy political editor |
| A verse for David Cameron | A verse for David Cameron |
| By James Landale (with apologies to Rudyard Kipling) | By James Landale (with apologies to Rudyard Kipling) |
| If you can keep your head when all about you | If you can keep your head when all about you |
| some MPs want yours for not going far enough, | |
| If your party stops talking about the powers it wants from Europe | If your party stops talking about the powers it wants from Europe |
| so you can talk of jobs and growth and other things, | so you can talk of jobs and growth and other things, |
| If you can stop firms pausing before investing in a Britain | If you can stop firms pausing before investing in a Britain |
| that might one day struggle to trade in Europe, | that might one day struggle to trade in Europe, |
| If you can persuade people this is a real attempt to reform the EU | If you can persuade people this is a real attempt to reform the EU |
| in the interests of the UK, not UKIP, | in the interests of the UK, not UKIP, |
| If you can get the votes you need in 2015 | If you can get the votes you need in 2015 |
| or persuade your coalition partners to back a referendum too: | or persuade your coalition partners to back a referendum too: |
| *** | *** |
| If you can wait and not be tired of waiting | If you can wait and not be tired of waiting |
| for Europe to change its treaties | for Europe to change its treaties |
| And then get Angela and all the others | And then get Angela and all the others |
| to agree a new relationship before 2017, | to agree a new relationship before 2017, |
| If you can still vote Yes if you don't get all you want | |
| And treat triumph and disaster just the same: | And treat triumph and disaster just the same: |
| *** | *** |
| If you can talk with sceptics and keep us in the EU | If you can talk with sceptics and keep us in the EU |
| Or walk with Europe's kings - nor lose the Commons touch, | Or walk with Europe's kings - nor lose the Commons touch, |
| If you can stop you party dividing between In and Out | If you can stop you party dividing between In and Out |
| and genuinely settle the European question, | and genuinely settle the European question, |
| If you can keep the British people onside | If you can keep the British people onside |
| and not go down in history as the man who took Britain out of the EU, | and not go down in history as the man who took Britain out of the EU, |
| Yours is the next election, Dave, and everything that's in it, | Yours is the next election, Dave, and everything that's in it, |
| And - which is more - you'll have won, my son! | And - which is more - you'll have won, my son! |