Opik tries to set the record straight
Fraser Nelson 5:54pm
Lembit Opik calls up to set me straight. Here was I portraying him as a principled rebel true to his manifesto by pledging to abstain, rather than vote against, the totemic issue of whether the British public should have a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Au contraire, he says. 'On this occasion, I am being a good corporate citizen' because Clegg has decided to allow his 65 MPs to abstain on the issue of a referendum after all. So people like Lembit are off the hook.
Rather endearingly, Lembit admitted he wasn't 100% sure but would call back if he found out any different. Good luck to him finding out anything. For reference, here is Clegg last month:
"We would vote against a referendum on the treaty and vote in accordance with our long-held position that the real referendum which needs to be had is whether we stay in the European Union or not."Has this now changed to a whole party sitting-on-the-fence on the referendum question? The Lib Dem position remains mired in confusion. The tragedy is that they could end up standing between the public and the referendum which all three parties offered at the last election.
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Comments
TGF UKIP
February 19th, 2008 6:33pmBig opportunity for your boy Dave here, Fraser. Be interesting to see if he actually does anything!
Max Kaye
February 19th, 2008 9:16pmThe Lib Dems now have a great opportunity to demonstrate their democratic credentials. Don't hold your breath.
Mike Hanlon
February 20th, 2008 3:41pmThe official party position is *not* to participate in the debate on such an important issue? Extraordinary. Is Clegg *trying* to make the Lib Dems a laughing stock? Why does he not give his MPs a free vote. That would not only get him out of this bizarre situation over the treaty but also be the truly Liberal and Democratic thing to do.
Agincourt
February 21st, 2008 1:38amMike Hanlon: Quite right! The "liberal" & "democrat" thing for Clegg, the leader-who-does-not-lead, is to encourage his MPs to vote whichever way they wish on the Lisbon Treaty referendum issue. Otherwise there is NO good reason for him to be either leader or member of a party that calls itself Liberal Democrat. And what about Cameron & the Tories? Staying quiet, while voting for a referendum, has allowed the other two parties to tear themselves apart, without being drawn back together again in visceral opposiion to anything backed by the Tories. But sometime very soon the Tories are going to have to come off their own particular fence too, & proclaim their strong support for automatic referendums on all major EU issues, with the people having the right to to call for them as much as Parliamnet! Otherwise the electorate - & fringe parties - will hammer them too! And bloggers especially. Certainly me for one!
Paul Cadier
February 21st, 2008 2:46pmFor a glimpse of the Lib/Dem's future plight, keep an eye on the French local elections. There, the socialist party's leadership made abstention on the Lisbon Treaty debate, official policy. All the rank and file are outraged......as are their former voters. Despite Sarko's unpopularity the socialists are nowhere to be seen in the polls. Even Lembik Opric could descipher this bad omen.