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TonyGosling Editor
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 18335 Location: St. Pauls, Bristol, England
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eogz Validated Poster
Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 262
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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Nice to see the democratically elected leader of the country, upholding promises made of the past. NOT! |
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Leiff Trustworthy Freedom Fighter
Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 509
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:54 pm Post subject: Brown faces Labour revolt over EU referendum |
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Brown faces Labour revolt over EU referendum
By Brendan Carlin, Toby Helm and Martin Banks
Last Updated: 3:13am BST 24/08/2007
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=2PDZ0CENA2NUDQFI QMGCFFOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2007/08/24/neu124.xml
Gordon Brown faces a growing Labour insurrection over his refusal to allow a referendum on the controversial EU treaty, it has emerged.
A "hard core" of at least 40 Labour MPs is poised to issue the Prime Minister with an ultimatum to re-open talks on the treaty or concede a referendum.
Angela Merkel and Gordon Brown held talks on the EU treaty before watching England take on Germany at Wembley Stadium
They are preparing a 15-point plan to put to Mr Brown calling for the Brussels blueprint to be radically amended to end the need for a British referendum.
Among their likely demands will be the removal of the proposal to create a new EU foreign minister, a controversial idea also included in the original, rejected 2005 EU constitution.
The Labour MPs, led by Ian Davidson, MP for Glasgow South West, may also call on Mr Brown to use a revised treaty to amend the 2004 EU directive on freedom of movement.
The directive is now being blamed for preventing the UK from deporting Learco Chindamo, the man who murdered head teacher Philip Lawrence, back to his native Italy.
Labour went into the 2005 general election promising a referendum on the original EU constitution which was then voted down by Dutch and French voters.
But any attempt to re-open talks now with EU leaders will spark a blazing row, with Brussels insisting that the main issues covered by the treaty agreed at the June EU summit are legally-binding and with only "fine-tuning" now left to be done.
Viscount Etienne Davignon, a former European Commission vice-president, has said that Britain must "stop holding up" other EU members and sign up to the controversial European treaty.
The Prime Minister insists that the new treaty is substantially different from the old constitution and no longer requires a referendum.
Speaking after meeting Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor and main architect of the new treaty, on Wednesday, Mr Brown said: "The proper way to discuss this is in the House of Commons and the House of Lords."
But on Thursday even Gwyneth Dunwoody, the respected and long-serving Labour chairman of the Commons' transport committee, disagreed and called for a referendum in this "rare" case.
The Daily Telegraph's own "let the people decide" petition for a referendum has now been signed by almost 58,000 people - an 8,000 increase in three days.
Labour rebels will be emboldened by the fact that Mr Blair originally refused to promise a referendum on the old constitution plan and was forced to back down.
And Mr Davidson urged the new Prime Minister to abandon Tony Blair's later refusal to hold a vote on the new EU treaty just as he tore up his predecessor's plans for a giant super-casino.
Mr Brown should appeal to other EU leaders to realise that he was now under "domestic pressure" and needed to give way on the referendum, the MP said....... _________________ "Democracy is sustained not by public trust but by public scepticism"
George Monbiot |
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rodin Validated Poster
Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 2224 Location: UK
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rodin Validated Poster
Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 2224 Location: UK
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