Vote on Europe shelved by UK

Vote on Europe shelved by UK
The Journal, Jun 7 2005
By Zoe Hughes

The Government has postponed a referendum on the European Union constitution despite mounting pressure from North-East campaigners for the vote to go ahead.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw yesterday said there was "no point" in pursuing plans for a referendum on the treaty in the wake of its rejection by Holland and France.

However, Sunderland metric martyr Neil Herron has launched a campaign demanding a debate on the issue - warning Tony Blair was "running scared" of listening to the public. "How does the Prime Minister know what the people want if he doesn't go ahead with this referendum?" he challenged yesterday, just as Mr Straw made his announcement to the Commons.

"We must not leave the situation like this. It is important that every country is allowed to give its opinion on the constitution and it would be an outrage if the British people were denied this right." Mr Herron is using the national grassroots People's No Campaign to demand a debate on the issue, saying it was vital for people to know the "destination" of the European project.

However, Mr Straw told MPs the EU Council - not the UK - would decide the future of the treaty after the two No votes, admitting that parts of the constitution could still be implemented without a vote.

Announcing that the Government was suspending the British referendum, which had been expected next spring, Mr Straw said the EU faced a "period of difficulty" with a need for further discussions with "EU partners and further decisions from EU governments. We reserve completely the right to bring back the Bill providing for a UK referendum should circumstances change.

But we see no point in proceeding at this moment." Conservatives immediately called for the referendum to be scrapped completely, but the North-East's Liberal Democrat Euro MP Fiona Hall said it was right to implement parts of the constitution, including strengthening the role of national parliaments.