David Cameron said:
"I believe in Parliamentary democracy, I think our MPs should be the ones that scrutinise legislation. But when it comes to the question of how we are governed as a country, who runs the country, I don't think members of Parliament have the right to transfer that power away without asking the British people first. And that's why there should be a referendum when we are talking about these things."
Who do you trust, David Cameron or Gordon Brown?
6 comments:
Regardless of your feelings on a referendum, i really don't think that Gordon Brown should be taking lectures from the Tories on handing over powers to Europe. Heath took us into the Common Market with no referendum. Thatcher took us into the single European Acy - no refereundum. Major signed the Maastrich treaty - you guessed it - no referendum!
There are arguments for and against having one now. But the Tories lecturing labour on it. Give me a break!!
Thatcher = single European Act- typo sorry!
JRD,
Did any of them promise a referendum in their manifesto?
Did any of them go against the advice of the European Scrutiny Committee?
Did they try to foist a constitution on us that had already been rejected?
And the main difference is that there is a strong public opinion that we should have the referendum.
You know why Brown doesn't want a referendum, don't you?
Steve
We promised a referendum if there was to be a new EU constitution. Specifically the manifesto stated:
'The new Constitutional Treaty ensures the new Europe can work effectively,and that Britain keeps control of key national interests like foreign policy,taxation, social security and defence.The Treaty sets out what the EU can do and what it cannot. It strengthens the voice of national parliaments
and governments in EU affairs. It is a good treaty for Britain
and for the new Europe. We will put it to the British people in a referendum and campaign whole-heartedly for a ‘Yes’ vote to keep Britain a leading nation in Europe.'
So the manifesto commitment explicitly related to a new EU Constitution - not a new, reforming, EU Treaty.
Mike makes a good point that the commitment to a referendum was on a different issue. Therefore the "issue" of whether there should be a referendum here is a different one.
I actually think that there should be a referendum on this, as there should have been on all the other ones signed by the Tories.
It just makes me a itch a little when the Tories try and use the lack of a referendum for political capital, when thay are as guilty as anyone of handing political and econonic power over to Europe without asking the people!
"use the lack of a referendum for political capital"
I'm a Tory and I mean it.
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