What they will do to force this constitution on the people never ceases to amaze me, after more than thirty years of political machinations over the union it shouldn’t but it still does. We are told that this is a free referendum a democratic choice but the government is going to use every trick it can to get us to vote for the blessed thing.
Slovenia has become the third country to ratify the EU Constitution. Its parliament yesterday ratified it by a majority of 69 to 4. 7 MPs abstained; they did not bother to ask their citizens.
The French are in the middle of rewriting their Constitution to allow for the EU Constitution. And Le Monde reports that French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier has requested a thorough review of the Bolkestein Directive on the liberalisation of services, because of growing concerns about it in France and his anxiety that this may impact on the result of the referendum on the EU Constitution. In an interview with Le Figaro, French Foreign Minister Claudie Haigneré says the directive as it stands is “unacceptable.â€
Also Le Figaro says that supporters of the EU Constitution in France are beginning to worry because of a growing risk that the ‘no’ side will win in the referendum in June. It says the reasons to oppose the Constitution abound. It cites concerns among the French about the ‘liberal’ way in which Europe is developing, and a perception that this is because of the Constitution, the reform of the 35-hour week, confusion about the entry of Turkey to the EU, and a general possibility that people will use the referendum as a plebiscite against Jacques Chirac. Vice-President of the ruling UMP party Jean-Claude Gaudin believes Catholic voters are among those who will potentially vote ‘no’, because of the French ‘laïcité’ law, the absence of a reference to Christian values in the preamble of the EU Constitution, and the Turkish question. Why Catholic voters should wish to vote for any institution which deems the basics of their religion to be unacceptable I do not know.
The Polish government has pushed back an early election over fears that the centre-right eurosceptic opposition could block the Constitution if elected. Opinion polls currently give the centre-right opposition a clear lead. President of the ruling SLD party Jozef Oleksy said “the elections should be held at the end of the legal mandate to prevent the right, which is opposed to the European constitution, rejecting the Treaty”. The party had previously promised to hold the election in June this year but it is now more likely to come in autumn. Poland is now expected to hold a referendum on the Constitution at the same time as the election, which the SLD party said would guarantee the 50 percent turnout required for a referendum to be valid
And in Britain The Daily Express and the Telegraph report that the Government has been accused of attempting to rig the referendum on the EU Constitution by holding it after every other country has voted ‘yes’. A “Whitehall official†is quoted saying that, “We will not hold the referendum until every other EU state has given its verdict and hopefully that is a resounding ‘yes’… That way we will be able to present a ‘yes’ vote as the obvious step for moderate centre-ground opinion and say that a ‘no’ vote would leave us completely isolated… It has been decided we cannot campaign on an overtly pro-European platform until after the election, so we need the longest possible time to win over moderate opinion. It will be like turning around an oil tanker.â€
Talking of Campaigning Lord Kinnock or what ever he is called these days is going to be campaigning for the Britain in Europe Brigade. We are reminded today by Quentin Letts who writes in the Mail that while Neil Kinnock was in charge of combating fraud at the Commission the problem actually doubled and that the Kinnock family receives up to £500,000 a year from the EU.
Of course in no way would this sort of money influence anything he may have to say on the subject.
Other moves on the looking after are own pocket front,
The Luxembourg presidency of the EU is pushing for a reform of how MEPs are paid. A senior MEP said that a compromise currently on the table would see all MEPs paid around the same amount as German MEPs. The way travel expenses are allocated is also under review.
As each of these so called representatives cost us a cool million each year at present, it is good to know that they will not be suffering too badly on our behalf.
Whilst Peter Mandelson is complaining that those who place the great demands on the poor Commission also have the responsibility to willing the means.” And has caused his first dispute with the Blair Government since becoming a Commissioner by backing plans to increase the Commission budget. He said, “It is very important for the Commission to know where it is going. I could make a suggestion or two!
On the other side of the fence, that is those who are not earning such huge sums from the public purse;
The Guardian reports that the decision by Nissan to begin producing another model at its Sunderland plant is another blow to those who believe that it is in Britain’s interests to join the euro.
Kilroy launches new party: Veritas.
The German government is set to announce today that unemployment in the country has risen above 5 million for the first time since reunification in 1990.
But help is in the way!
Jose Barroso will announce a package of reforms today which will focus on increasing employment across the EU. But the Times reports that it will miss its target of getting 67 percent of adults working by 2005 and that the Commission’s Joint Employment Report says, “employment remains Europe’s Achilles heelâ€. The FT reports that Barroso is to focus on economic reform and has confirmed that the commitment to become the world’s most competitive economy by 2010 has been dropped. He said, “we should avoid slogans that put at risk the credibility of the whole exercise.†Commenting on what would happen if Britain votes ‘no’, “It will be a very difficult political problem if one or more member states don’t ratify… I believe the EU is much stronger because of Britain, and Britain is stronger for being in the EU. If political leaders in Britain explain to the public what Britain means to Europe and what Europe means to Britain, I believe the case for a ‘Yes’ vote is very, very clear.”
IF! they did that would really be a surprise, what they will do instead it to try to frighten us into voting their way.
They have not time to make us love the EU so fear is their only weapon.
