Live Audio: Britain should have a referendum on the EU Treaty
6:31pmA reminder that the Spectator / Intelligence Squared debate - "Britain should have a referendum on the EU Treaty" - begins at 18:45 tonight. Standing for the motion are Lord Lamont; Neil O'Brien, the director of Open Europe; and the award-winning historian Andrew Roberts. They'll be opposed by Denis MacShane MP; Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government at Oxford University; and David Aaronovitch, the broadcaster and journalist. The debate will be chaired by Andrew Neil.
For live audio click here.
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Herbert Thornton
March 5th, 2008 6:55pmI just posted this in the other thread on this topic. Maybe it bears being repeated? -
"The politicians lured Britons into the European prison on the strength of a solemn promise - that a Constitution wouldn't bolt the prison door shut unless there was a referendum.
But the people kept showing signs of wanting to leave the prison, so the politicians, who were terrified of a referendum, devised a spiffing new trick. They discarded the bolt. Then they welded the prison door shut.
The people got more restive. “You promised us a referendum about this" they said. "We want a referendum!”
"Whatever for?" replied the politicians, "What are you complaining about? The door's not bolted. It's only welded and that makes a world of difference. This weld isn’t a Constitution, it’s a Treaty. A referendum's not needed.”
So now the question is - will deceit and lies win the day and are the British people imprisoned for ever by a prison door welded shut over their protests?
Or will enough of the politicians have the courage to remember that they are British and that the people are in a mood to storm this Bastille?"
salieri
March 5th, 2008 8:33pmDo please invite further comment on this tomorrow. I write as the debate is ending and the scope of intellectual dishonesty heard from some participants is breathtaking in its condescension.