I can’t help but agree with James Graham’s view that
"… if the Lib Dems are in favour of a referendum on our continued membership of the EU, which we apparently are, then if that option looks as if it will get nowhere (which it does) we should be supporting the next best option, a referendum on the Reform Treaty. The fact that we’ve consistently failed to enthuse the public about the EU should not be a reason for refusing to face the music.
Why are we running scared when we should be attempting, both from a principled and a tactical point of view, to face down the Government and force a referendum? Okay, it’s not the referendum that we like, but as we’ve admitted, it will be, by proxy, a referendum on the question we really want to ask: Europe, in or out? It seems very odd that the leadership have opted to jump the other way, seemingly in a sulk that the party didn’t get exactly what it wants.
I wasn’t alive when the European Communities Act 1972 was passed, nor when a referendum on our continued membership was held in 1975. In fact, anyone under the age of 50 has not had a chance to express a preference as to whether they want to stay in the EU, a political institution which does impact on our lives in a very real and substantial way every single day. So if my party, and Labour, wouldn’t mind awfully, could I, and the rest of the country, possibly have a say on this important issue? You know, just if you’ve got time inbetween all the politiking.
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5 responses so far ↓
1 John Smith // Jan 22, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Why? We’ve never been given a referendum on whether we should be part of “the UK”, a disgrace of a so-called ‘democracy’ with an unelected legislature, unelected head of state, and head of government chosen by a mere 60,000 out of 60 million.
Never been given a referendum on the continued existence of “England”.
Never been given a referendum on whether distant, far-off, self-obsessed London should be allowed to lord it over everyone else on the island, allowed to suck our taxes out whilst giving nothing in return.
Tell me, why should we not be offered referenda on these disgraces, but hold an ill-informed, poisoned mud-fest at the best, most shining hope we have for the future?
2 Gavin Whenman // Jan 22, 2008 at 11:17 pm
You seem to be labouring under the delusion that I’m against a referendum on those things as well? I favour a written constitution for the UK, and part of adopting that constitution would involve a referendum.
PS. I disagree about London sucking out our taxes whilst giving nothing in return. The City alone pulls in a substantial part of British tax revenue, and this is redistributed to the north and west, in the form of healthcare, unemployment benefits and policing that they could ill-afford to sustain at the current levels by themselves.
3 What Nick Clegg said about the euro a few years ago // Jan 23, 2008 at 11:20 am
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4 Lib Dem Rebellion on Europe? // Feb 13, 2008 at 9:21 am
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5 Nick Clegg: A real vote on Europe // Feb 14, 2008 at 4:54 pm
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