Ireland has no wish to stand in the way
June 14, 2008 by Ken
Filed under The New Privileged Class
The most sickening episode yesterday was the sight of Taoiseach Brian Cowen, telling the assembled press, after the referendum results had been announced, that Ireland had no wish to stand in the way of the EU Treaty.
Cowan had just told the Irish people that he had no intention of allowing their democratic decision to stand in the way of further EU integration and would do his utmost to undermine and overturn the vote, because that was the sub text of his announcement. The people of Ireland had just voted against the Lisbon Treaty, yet his first reaction was to try to reassure the EU that he would not let that stand in the way of its plans.
Right across the EU political leaders were all saying the same thing, we will continue, no matter that the only people to have been allowed a vote have dissented. We cannot let a mere 2 or 3 million people in Ireland make the decision for 500 million EU citizens who want us to ratify this treaty. Of course they make this claim after having ensured that the 500 million have never been allowed a vote on the treaty. Do they speak for us the people? Well the brave Irish have clearly indicated that they do not, so they cannot have their 500 million until they have votes to prove it.
When they argue that this process cannot be halted because so much effort has been spent on it over the past seven years, they are admitting that this was the same process already rejected by the French and Dutch people, the same process on which we in Britain were promised a referendum. Instead we get subterfuge and fudge from our so called leaders who were quick enough to stop the ratification process last time in any country that looked like it would object.
Here in Britain the Labour government used the excuse of the no votes in France and Holland to halt our own referendum, which they knew they were going to loose. This time after having broken his promise to allow us a referendum our brave Prime Minister has already phoned the other EU leaders confirming that the process of ratification would continue.
David Cameron has said the Lisbon Reform Treaty should be “declared dead” following Irish voters’ rejection of the treaty by 53.4% to 46.6%.
He accused the Government of “arrogance” for pressing ahead with ratifying the treaty against public opinion.
If that is really his stance he now has the golden opportunity to reassert his cast iron promise that as PM a Conservative government would allow a referendum on this treaty. Any prevarication on this subject at this point could only increase the impression that Mr Cameron is only going through to motions and has, like the Irish Taoiseach, no intention standing in the way of the EU plans.
