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Left Calls For Referendum
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is coming under pressure from the left to call a referendum on the EU Constitution. In the Sunday Times yesterday, Gisela Stuart - a Labour MP who was the British representative on the Constitution's drafting committee - argued the case for a referendum. Today's Guardian has columnist Jackie Ashley claims that not only does the new treaty merit a referendum, granting one would seal Gordon Brown's attempts to be seen as "straight dealing" with the British people.
The calls come as trade unions, too, join calls for a referendum on the treaty, which everyone seems to agree is not substantially different from the original document, rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
Ashley writes of the "a strange alliance" leading calls for a referendum, from "rightwing newspaper types to anti-Brown leftists, from dissident Labour MPs to the UK Independence party."
Brown doesn't have much wriggle room on this issue. Thanks to EURSOC reader cujimmy, we have a few choice quotes from the man himself on the issue of the EU Constitution referendum:
“If we secure a treaty that is acceptable for Britain, then I believe we can also put it successfully to the British people.” - Gordon Brown, 12 May 2004
“It’s not as though this is being imposed on the country. People will have the chance to put their views.” - Gordon Brown, 26 Jan 2005
“I will listen and I will learn. I want to lead a government humble enough to know its place, where I will always strive to be - and that’s on people’s side.” - Gordon Brown, 11 May 2007
“The manifesto is what we put to the public. We’ve got to honour that manifesto. That is an issue of trust for me with the electorate.” - Gordon Brown, 24 June 2007
“The new Constitutional Treaty ensures the new Europe can work effectively... We will put it to the British people in a referendum.” - 2005 Labour Party manifesto
