Wednesday 20 August 2008
LTPD07 - epetition response

We received a petition asking:

“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to plet the people decide on the future relationship between Britain and the European Union and not pass through new treaties without consulting the voters.”

Details of Petition:

“Ever since Britain joined the Common Market in 1973, more and more powers have been handed to Brussels without the voters being granted a referendum. Now that huge elements of the EU Constitution are being brought in by the new ‘Reform Treaty’, it is time for the British people to have their say on our future relationship with the EU. I say, Let the People Decide.”

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Read the Government’s response

The Government believes that EU Membership is firmly in Britain’s national interest, and remains committed to ensuring that the EU is focussed on adding value for its citizens.

Our membership of the EU has brought real benefits in jobs, peace and security. Through it, we belong to the world’s biggest trading bloc. Half the UK’s trade is now within the EU, with an estimated 3.5 million British jobs linked to it. Our membership allows us to live, work and travel across Europe and to receive free medical care if we fall sick on holiday. And each citizen benefits in ways that are harder to quantify in cash terms, such as a cleaner environment, trade deals negotiated by the EU, and better security.

There was a referendum on UK membership of the European Economic Community in June 1975, which was passed in favour of membership. Thereafter, each Treaty change has been approved by the democratically elected British Parliament. No government, Labour or Conservative, has ever held a referendum on an amending European treaty. Parliament remains the correct place for debate and decision on such treaties

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Now there's a genuine lie: The referendum was on remaining in, not on whether to join! Further, Parliament remains the correct place for debate, why was debate of Lisbon so savagely curtailed?
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More complete rubbish. Parliament is not the correct place at all when such treaties directly affect British citizens.

The same old argument of trade spouted out again.
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Originally Posted by The government:
The Government believes that EU Membership is firmly in Britain’s national interest, and remains committed to ensuring that the EU is focussed on adding value for its citizens.

true

Originally Posted by The government:
Our membership of the EU has brought real benefits in jobs, peace and security.

Very, very difficult to disprove.

Originally Posted by The government:
Through it, we belong to the world’s biggest trading bloc. Half the UK’s trade is now within the EU, with an estimated 3.5 million British jobs linked to it. Our membership allows us to live, work and travel across Europe and to receive free medical care if we fall sick on holiday.

All true. The point about 3.5 million jobs is, like para 1, really hard to disprove.

Originally Posted by The government:
And each citizen benefits in ways that are harder to quantify in cash terms, such as a cleaner environment, trade deals negotiated by the EU, and better security.

Good soundbite, and again hard to disprove, especially as the quote contains the phrase 'harder to quantify'.

Originally Posted by The government:
There was a referendum on UK membership of the European Economic Community in June 1975, which was passed in favour of membership. Thereafter, each Treaty change has been approved by the democratically elected British Parliament. No government, Labour or Conservative, has ever held a referendum on an amending European treaty.

All true

Originally Posted by The government:
Parliament remains the correct place for debate and decision on such treaties

is an opinion only, and thus open to challenge but whould need a good set of well marshalled arguments.

Seeing the above, these are EXACTLY the type of things the government will come out with during the euro elections and what labour candidates will be briefed on. This gives UKIP an advantage and well marshalled, logical and defendable responses and attacks need to be formulated and briefed to all UKIP candidates, preferably with a supporting leaflet.

"its all lies but" or "its complete rubbish" would be a very poor response! Now, can we do better here in terms of formulating a similar, well written and defendable set of reasons for why we should not be in the EU?
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Originally Posted by SponPlague:
Now there's a genuine lie: The referendum was on remaining in, not on whether to join! Further, Parliament remains the correct place for debate, why was debate of Lisbon so savagely curtailed?

Is it your honest belief that the chamber at the House of Commons represents the views of the average British person?
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It would be nice if the Queen refused to sign it off. I know that she is supposed to be apolitical but I really do think that in this case she should insist on a referendum on the future of "her" country, as to me the monarchy is the defender of this country and if the Lisbon Treaty, or whatever name it want to go under, seems to be devolving power to some unelected bureaucrat in a foreign country who most likely dislikes the British. I also realise that this will likely cause a constitutional crisis but what is the point of having this check/balance if it is never ever going to be used?
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