EU Treaty Ratified

So despite the Irish 'No' Vote, the Government has today ratified the European Constitution by despositing the papers in Rome. Our only hope is that the Irish are not bullied into revering their decision.

However give it its due, (and whisper it quietly) the EU sometimes can do the right thing. Today EU countries have agreed to widen sanctions on Zimbabwe, including travel bans and asset freezes on a larger circle of officials and supporters of Mugabe, and a further review in September will examine if more measures are needed.

Liberal 'Democrat'?

It is often hard to know where Lib Dems stand on issues when they have habit of adapting their policies to suit their opposition. However on one thing I thought they were consistent - especially as it is in the name of their party - and that was committed to the concept of democracy. But it appears that even this is flexible given that their new leader Nick Clegg has announced that they will oppose a popular vote on the European Constitution currently being debated by Parliament.

I would have thought that whatever their views on the merits of the treaty they would have been happy to put it to the public vote and then argue their case. But no, like the Labour Government they are too scared that the public would vote against the mass transference of even more powers to Brussels - I can't think why!

Could Europe Finish Brown?

It used to be commonly accepted wisdom that there were no votes to be won on the issue of Europe only votes to be lost.

Brown appears to be proving the latter bit right. In my mind his decision not to call a referendum over the 'reform treaty' is helping to contribute to perceptions that he is deceitful and running scared. It can be no conincidence that an opinion poll in today's Independent gives the Conservatives an 8% lead over Labour, a week after he signed up to the treaty.

Also reported today is that the former French president Valry Giscard d'Estaing has ststed that key parts of the European constitution remain "practically unchanged" in
the new EU Reform Treaty, M. Giscard d'Estaing, one of the architects of the EU constitution, said that the central proposals of the rejected document had been retained in the new treaty.

We need a referendum on this treaty, and if Brown doesn't listen it looks like he will pay with his job (although possibly not until 2010)

Where's our Referendum

William Hague has today published a plain english guide to the new EU treaty which shows that it is just a reworked version of the constitution going under another name. Its worth a quick look, to do so click here.

Labour promised a referendum in their 2005 manifesto. Why won't they let us have one now?