The Czech court just decided that the Lisbon Treaty is in line with Czech law. A signature from the Czechs on the Lisbon Treaty is now expected “very soon.”
The Czech government gave assurances to EU partners at Brussels last week that there would be no more delay.
A Conservative announcement of a change in policy is now expected very soon too. The Daily Telegraph parked its tanks on David Cameron’s lawn this morning in a pre-emptive strike.
It does not like the fact that there will be no retrospective referendum on Europe. Mr Cameron thinks his new policy has enough Euro scepticism in it to avoid the threatened exodus to UKIP.
If he won the general election, he would launch an attempt in Europe to get powers repatriated to the UK – a mighty task given treaty-fatigue in the EU.
Perhaps more important though, in the great scheme of things, is the policy already announced in October 2007 but likely to be re-announced in the coming hours or days: the plan to make the UK, like Ireland and some other EU countries, a state that can only ratify an EU treaty after a referendum.
It’s hard to imagine how any treaty in the last 20 years would’ve got through a referendum in the UK. Could even a treaty that repatriated powers be sure of support in a referendum?
Irish referenda show how these popular votes can become hijacked by all sorts of unexpected or unrelated issues.
The move in Tory policy to a “compulsory referendum before ratification” country was unveiled at the 2007 Conference by William Hague but many eyes were elsewhere on the day – on the possible early election that hadn’t been ruled out.
A lot of the newspapers made it an inside page story…it doesn’t feel like an inside page story now.
As for the post-Lisbon process, EU governments expect a special one-off EU summit to be held in Brussels on Thursday 12th November, at which the member states will carve up the jobs of President, Lord High Executioner for Foreign Affairs and the EU Commission.
Tony Blair is expected to talk to Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy this week to see if there’s life in his candidacy for the presidency.
If it fails, few around Westminster believe that David Miliband can really have dismissed the High Rep job out of hand. He may yet have a long night with close friends talking it through.
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Don’t know why we are so concerned about treaties. We can always take a leaf out of the French book, and just ignore it if it doesn’t suit us…
It’s Game, Set and Match for the Lisbon Treaty. The euro sceptics have got what they want, an opt out from the Euro, an opt out from Schengen, opt outs from the Charter of Rights, Britain in the slow lane outer circle of influence AND, for the first time, a mechanism for leaving the EU.
The xenophobic haters of Johnny Foreigner, the Empire nostalgics and the anti-semitic, homophobic, racists are never satisfied.
If Cameron wins next June, we’ll have day after day, week after week, year after year of raving anti-europe nutters dominating the news agenda, crowding out all other issues except their discredited voodoo economics. Remember 1992-95? That’s what we will have 2010-13. These euro-obsessive compulsives will destroy Britain. They’re already destroying Cameron’s chances of a majority and if they keep obsessing on about a referendum, they will cost him a minority. No wonder they are called the stupid party. Cameron needs to do a Kinnock and get rid of the Tory ‘euro-trots’ and have his clause 4 moment by commiting fully to Europe and getting rid of the nutters. No wonder he has introduced Primaries.
“raving anti-europe nutters”…?
Its the raving pro-europe nutters who have actually done the most damage here…
It might be best for all – and save a forest or two – if UK left the EU.
Whilst we should have had a referendum (any democracy should have had ONE and the results accepted). However, once it is ratified we are committed and whatever the result of any subsequent referendum could not be acted on. Thus, as a waste of time and money turnout would be very very low – why bother if it will make no difference. Thus, any result will not be representative which makes the whole thing pointless.
Er. We did have a referendum. I voted in it.
At the risk of committing a blasphemy, I don’t approve of referendums.
They are rarely decided on the actual question on the ballot paper, rather they are usually about something else. Very often, it’s the popularity of the Government of the day.
They are certainly no way to decide complex questions which most voters haven’t a hope of grappling with. That’s why we elect representatives – so they can decide complex questions.
What a bad legacy Harold Wilson left us with his referendum – which was actually “about” holding the Labour party together.
In the meantime David Cameron has a problem. What most of his activists and quite a lot of Tory MPs and MP wannabes want is to leave the EU – something for which I detect little enthusiasm in the general population.
There’s some truth in that Simon.
what country are you living in Simon?Everyone knows the treaty would have been voted down,out of hand .That is why we were denied a vote .You may vote for a politician because they understand complex questions.I don’t.I vote for someone who will represent my views and when putting up for election tells me the truth. The current Labour party has failed on both these points and ,in my opinion, deserve to be wiped out for ever in a democratic vote,as did Heath who put us in this predicament in the first place by lying about the European dream
Dont know why we’re bashing the Tories for dropping their cast-iron guarantee.
The problem is entirely down to the current Government. They signed the bloomin treaty after all…
i find it amazing that channel 4 want to discuss the tories change of policy. W
The tories have no choice but to accept this treaty as it is now law through G.B. AND T.B’s deceipt
The only true alternative is a vote on whether to stay in such a Europe or not and i fear only one party will offer that choice and it is UKIP
Having voted to join the European Community in the only referendum we’ve had, I would vote to leave the European Union if anybody were brave enough to let us vote on it.
I honestly don’t believe there can be a halfway house. What I want is a referendum on whether or not we should remain in the EU. If we vote to leave, we should exit within 2 years and if we vote to stay we should show total commitment; Euro, open borders, no UK head of state, no opt outs.
If we aren’t granted a referendum, then, I fear people will move away from the ballot box and seek more direct action against the EU.
Adrian Clarke,
you are quite right! Only UKIP and its BNP sidekick would put a referendum on leaving the EU.
To trade in Europe, even if we left the EU, we would still have to implement all EU Laws and Regulations into British Law. We’d just have no say on their formulation or implementation. Just like Norway and Switzerland.
I don’t agree that it is in the long term interests of our children or grandchildren. It’s a baby boomer self indulgence. While I don’t agree with you, I defend your right to a referendum on leaving the EU.
Labour, Conservative and Liberal parties won’t hold such a referendum because too many strategic, economic and security interests are at stake.
Besides, I don’t think you’d win such a vote. The British are too intelligent.
Paul Lettan
You misunderstand me Paul.i originally voted to join a common market of Europe.That is what we were sold(a lie) by Heath.It was never envisaged, by the majority of us who voted, as a political entity.
We were also promised by all major parties prior to the last election a referendum on the current treaty.Now the labour government knew that it would be defeated and unable to ratify the treaty,so it reneged on its promise.I really do believe as our elected representatives they committed a treasonable act.
As to leaving the Union,given a vote i would vote yes.However that is not a vote we are likely to get,and i could never vote for either UKIP. or theBNP.The former are a one policy party and the latter a bunch of thugs.I would say that the ratification of the treaty is likely to increase the vote of both those parties.
I also believe that Britain would still be able to trade with Europe , outsde of the Union and that this country will nevervote to accept the Euro
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