New EU treaty is 96% the same as the constitution
James Forsyth 8:20amThe invaluable think-tank Open Europe has translated the text of the European treaty formerly known as the constitution into English; something the government has so far failed to do. Their work shows that 96 percent of the text is as it was in the constitution.
In some ways this doesn’t come as a surprise, Bertie Ahern said that it was 90 percent the same, but it does illustrate how disingenuous the government is in trying to deny people the referendum they were promised in the Labour manifesto. But Brown clearly believes that the Tories will be too nervous about ‘banging on about Europe’ to go after him on this.
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hogarth zombie
July 24th, 2007 9:08am96 per cent the same does not make it a constitution in the eyes of this government - look, they say, it says so in the preface to the new treaty!
Praguetory
July 24th, 2007 10:28amLabour politicians talk about things, Tories bang on about them.
Mike
July 24th, 2007 10:35amI really hope DC goes for Brown on this at PMQs. If Brown wants to retain a scintilla of integrity he has to hold the referendum that was promised in the Labour Manifesto. Otherwise is yet another NuLab deceit
David Boothroyd
July 24th, 2007 11:21amThat statistic means almost nothing. For a start, even if 96% of the words are from the constitutional treaty, that isn't the same as 96% of the constitutional treaty. One can change only one word and make a very significant change in effect: Compare the two sentences "For your heinous crime and wicked act, I order that you be shot" and "For your heinous crime and wicked act I sentence you to be tickled". The second is 92% the same as the first. Also, has Open Europe compared both the Constitutional Treaty and the new Treaty with the existing Treaty of Rome as amended? Because I think they will find a large part of that is the same. The fundamental issue which led people to demand a referendum on the constitutional treaty, and led the then Prime Minister to agree one, was that it was a constitutional treaty. This new treaty is not. Surely by estoppel no referendum is required.
EyeSee
July 24th, 2007 12:28pmBoothroyd's comment is spot on. His example leads merely to a different outcome (though by being in the EU it is more like being shot than tickled) but substantially crime/trial/judgement are all the same. Treaty/constitution it is actually to bring about the same thing, in this case merely to get to the verdict, rather than the consequence. By creating a single nation state they can get on with the real business of creating the union of socialist soviet Europe, a republic based on the Code Napoleon whereby the State exists as a good in itself and the people belong to the State. Everything is illegal unless explictly allowed by the State. All this is totally alien to the traditional British way of life, which has been the most stable, effective, productive and free form of government in Europe (at the very least).The EU is however, a delight for a political elite (and who are the only people pushing for it)?
Praguetory
July 24th, 2007 4:55pmOne doorstop replaced with another. Referendum please.