British campaign set to launch, demanding EU referendum
06 September 2007, 03:02 CET
(LONDON) – A cross-party campaign is set to kick off Thursday, calling on British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to give the country a referendum on the new European Union treaty.
The campaign — “I Want a Referendum” — includes parliamentarians from all the three main political parties, including a handful of former ministers from the governing Labour Party.
Its website will be published later on Thursday, and the campaign will also air a cinema advert this month, in addition to grassroots drives across the country.
“This is an issue of trust,” said Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who is part of the campaign.
“We were elected on the promise of a referendum. If we are serious about restoring trust in politics we have to keep our promise and give people a say on this important decision.”
Brown’s predecessor Tony Blair promised a referendum on the EU constitution.
British euroskeptics have been ratcheting up pressure on Brown to agree to a referendum on the new EU treaty, which they claim is the same as the constitution in all but name.
Brown says there is no need for one, unless an intergovernmental conference (IGC) being chaired by German Chancellor Angela Merkel next month produces a treaty which falls short of the June accord.
A British referendum would almost certainly produce a “no” vote, plunging the 27-nation bloc into renewed crisis even as it struggles to recover from the 2005 rejection of the constitution by French and Dutch voters.
At the June EU summit, Britain secured concessions from its EU partners in key areas, notably justice and home affairs, social security, and a Charter of Fundamental Rights.
In theory this agreement will be hammered out into a final treaty text at the IGC.
The campaign — “I Want a Referendum” — includes parliamentarians from all the three main political parties, including a handful of former ministers from the governing Labour Party.
Its website will be published later on Thursday, and the campaign will also air a cinema advert this month, in addition to grassroots drives across the country.
“This is an issue of trust,” said Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who is part of the campaign.
“We were elected on the promise of a referendum. If we are serious about restoring trust in politics we have to keep our promise and give people a say on this important decision.”
Brown’s predecessor Tony Blair promised a referendum on the EU constitution.
British euroskeptics have been ratcheting up pressure on Brown to agree to a referendum on the new EU treaty, which they claim is the same as the constitution in all but name.
Brown says there is no need for one, unless an intergovernmental conference (IGC) being chaired by German Chancellor Angela Merkel next month produces a treaty which falls short of the June accord.
A British referendum would almost certainly produce a “no” vote, plunging the 27-nation bloc into renewed crisis even as it struggles to recover from the 2005 rejection of the constitution by French and Dutch voters.
At the June EU summit, Britain secured concessions from its EU partners in key areas, notably justice and home affairs, social security, and a Charter of Fundamental Rights.
In theory this agreement will be hammered out into a final treaty text at the IGC.
