Let me get this straight. Trade unions that want to increase the degree of social legislation from Brussels are signing up to a referendum on Europe being promoted by the forces of Euroscepticism who want to scrap what European protection there already is. Meanwhile Jackie Ashley, the co-leader of Guardianistas for Gordon, is telling the PM he is sunk without one. The truth is that the only reason the Daily Telegraph and Tories want a referendum on a treaty that tinkers with the constitution in order to accommodate a larger Europe, is (a) to embarrass Gordon and Labour and (b) to defeat the European cause. There is no merit whatsoever in Brown holding a referendum that he would lose. And there is no more need for one now than when Thatcher signed the rather more radical Maastricht Treaty. Gordon should stick to his guns and ignore the Tories and their new allies.
UPDATE: Recess Monkey captures the full extent of public enthusiasm for the referendum.
1 comment:
"There is no merit whatsoever in Brown holding a referendum that he would lose."
Hmm:
1). Manifesto commitment, (please do not pretend that this is not the constitution).
2). I think you are confusing merit for Gordon with merit for the country.
3). We should have a referendum when assigning substantial sovereignty to another power, (yes we should have had one on Maastricht).
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