Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-06-07-Speech-4-027"
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"en.20070607.3.4-027"2
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"Mr President, I am surprised we have the front to call this a debate, because the Minister did not tell us any of the substance of the negotiations. But, of course, there is no debate, is there? There is no debate in the national parliaments, no informed opinion in the press, no debate at all – and why? Because this whole Treaty is being put together in secret and that is because you do not want to involve the citizens of Europe. You are fearful that the more they find out about your grandiose plans, the more likely they are to vote ‘no’.
Worse still is the downright dishonesty with which this whole process is being pursued. For Angela Merkel to talk in a letter about the proposal to use different terminology without changing the legal substance is the stuff of
. It is the twisting of language. It is the deliberate attempt to stop there being free and fair referendums in European countries. It is your plan to act like a bulldozer: just to sweep aside the French and Dutch referendum results, to pursue your political goals without taking the people with you.
I have no doubt that you think you are going to get away with it, but from a British perspective I have no doubt that Mr Blair, in his last act as the British Prime Minister, will sign up to virtually anything you want him to. But he will be handing to his successor something rather like a hand grenade with the pin pulled out, because the pressure on Gordon Brown to have a referendum on this Treaty in Britain is going to be enormous. In fact, I would go further. I am confident that this Treaty will not become British law without the Brits having a referendum, and when they have that referendum they are going to say ‘no’.
But if you are proud of your European project, if you are true democrats, then you will join me in the call to let the people decide their own future. Do not foist it upon them."@en1
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"Alice Through The Looking Glass"1
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