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Public Servant Daily, 23rd April 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
Two organisations have criticised Prime Minister Tony Blair for his stance on the proposed new European Union constitution.
Global Vision, the new business backed campaign calling for a looser relationship between the UK and EU, has insisted that any new European treaty must be put to the British electorate in a referendum.
The Prime Minister sasidd: “If it’s not a constitutional treaty, so that it alters the basic relationship between Europe and the member states, then there isn’t the same case for a referendum.”
However, Ruth Lea, director of Global Vision, disagreed: "There is no doubt that any new EU treaty will affect this country significantly - especially if qualified majority voting is to be extended. Every treaty means further political integration in Europe and it is disingenuous or dishonest to suggest otherwise. The Prime Minister knows this. The British people are entitled to the referendum they were promised."
The European Foundation called Blair's approach "pitiful", "scandalous", "undemocratic" and said it "demonstrates only contempt for the British people".
It said the Prime Minister’s position in preventing a public referendum on the EU treaty is fundamentally wrong and democratically illegitimate. To make the European Union an institution which is beneficial to Britain and the other member states, it said, it is essential for the UK to hold a public referendum and renegotiate its position on the binding treaties of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice.
Bill Cash, chairman of the European Foundation, said: “By virtue of living in a democracy, a new EU treaty as well as the existing EU treaties need to be put to referendum in order to support the wishes of the British electorate. As a democratic country, it is essential that we put in place national referendums on the new treaty and all other existing treaties. To not do so is a gross injustice. It is undemocratic and treats the British people with contempt.”
Original article available at:
http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_story.asp?id=2798&topic=International
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