Thursday, December 8, 2011

It might be inevitable, but don't expect it to be easy

It does say something about politicians that sooner or later (usually later) they get the message about something the UK public has wanted for years. You can only lie, obfuscate and change your mind so often before an election before stuff comes back to bite you after all.
So it is with referenda and the EU and certain missed opportunities for a Tory leader who increasingly is looking ineffectual and out of touch with the national wishes. We want a referendum on the EU, he wont allow it and with the possibility of a new set of EU treaties being brought in to set up another doomed project of EU countries Cameron instead of saying we'll ask our people, has indicated he'll veto the procedure. Something that is going to make him very unpopular with both groups.
Express.

AN EU referendum on Britain's membership is now 'inevitable', a senior cabinet minister has claimed. Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson claimed proposals for closer fiscal union in the eurozone made it crunch time for Britain's future in Europe.
It came as Prime Minister David Cameron came under renewed pressure over Europe today on the eve of the latest summit, with London mayor Boris Johnson also demanding a referendum if the talks result in a new EU-wide treaty.
Mr Cameron promised the House of Commons during PMQs that he would safeguard Britain's interests at the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, when leaders of the 27 EU states will discuss a Franco-German plan for closer fiscal co-ordination between the 17 countries which use the euro.
The Euro is of course pretty much doomed, the politicians don't seem to realise as with the Exchange Rate Mechanism crisis of a previous Tory Administration, that it is now the markets who will decide if a fiscal union will work, certainly not the politicians, after all, their pronouncements are often too little too late as they seek to conserve their power rather than do what's right.
Many of us predicted this outcome years ago, though mostly we take no pleasure in it as lives will be ruined, pensions lost and businesses ruined, though admittedly the EU seems to be perfectly capable of managing that quite well by over regulation anyway.
So will we get a referendum?
Don't hold your breath, chances are we'll only get one if the politico's know they'll win, at the moment though they know they'll lose. So if we do, expect the question not to be a simple in or out, more of a "Do you wish to remain in the EU with all the benefits to you that it confers" and "Do you want the UK to go to hell in a hand cart if we leave the EU"
That's what we can pretty much expect, well that and the EU pouring millions (which it hasn't really got) into buying us off, like they did with the Irish, who probably now wish they'd voted no a second time.

Mind you, it might all come to nothing if the Dutch have a referendum

3 annotations:

Antisthenes said...

There is no proposal that I have seen that indicates a fiscal union only tightening of the existing rules with a few other things thrown in the major one being the financial transaction tax.So how that addresses the euro crisis beats me but it does not bode well for the interests of the UK. Cameron not asking for powers back, holding a referendum and safeguarding the city does not save the euro but it does leave him open to the charge that he caused the collapse of the euro if he does. So he and the UK are between a rock and a hard place. Reality is likely to triumph over aspiration at this summit and the shock waves that that causes in Britain may be overwhelming.

Anonymous said...

Dear Quiet Man

The most likely way to cow the British into voting to stay in would be to wreck the economy to such a degree that the EU can be presented as the 'only' way to blessed salvation and riches for all eternity.

Plus of course repeated referenda until such time as we give the right answer.

DP

banned said...

Daily Telegraph vote on the subject 7th Dec

David Cameron should sign a new EU treaty...

only if it protects Britain's national interests, for example by safeguarding the City 16.46% (2,588 votes)


only if more powers, such as control over labour laws, are repatriated to Britain 10.73% (1,687 votes)


only if the treaty is approved by a referendum 72.81% (11,449 votes)