Let the people decide
Yesterday, Gordon Brown arrived in Lisbon with other EU leaders for his first European summit to discuss the revival of the Constitution. Rejected by both France and the Netherlands, our PM has made sure this result will not be repeated in the UK by denying the British people a say.
His attempt to kill off any kind off a Treaty referendum has not duped the British people. Opinion polls show that only 6% of voters believe the Government’s argument that the Reform Treaty is different to the EU Constitution. He is yet to even convince his own side.
This Treaty has significant consequences for Britain’s ability to make its own laws in vital areas including health and tax and to pursue our own foreign policy. The European Court of Justice would become superior to our own judiciary. The opt-outs and ‘red lines’ which the Government will claim it has secured are already crumbling and, investigated by a cross-party group of MPs, revealed as likely to be ineffective.
We can look forward to reports of how hard our PM is fighting for our interests. But the reality will be much different. He is preparing the ground to cave in.
The PM’s argument will be based on the hotly disputed claim that the document he’s about to sign is different from the original Constitution. Yet detailed analysis has found that the two documents are 96% similar. The only substantive differences are the removal of the word ‘constitution’ and the scrapping of symbols such as an anthem. Every other European leader (except for Gordon Brown) agrees.
Gordon Brown began his reign as Prime Minister claiming he wanted to listen and trust the people. Up to now he has failed. But by sticking by his 2005 manifesto promise of a referendum and letting the British people have the final say, our PM could start to rebuild trust, which is now sadly lacking, with the people of Britain.