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  David Sumberg MEP   

BRINGING COMMONSENSE TO BRUSSELS

NO MEANS NO

 Regular readers will know that I do not look forward to my visits to the monthly plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.  There remains the continuing scandal of the parliament having two homes, one in Brussels and the other in Strasbourg, with all the millions of pounds of additional costs that involves.  British MEPs are opposed to this crazy way of conducting our business but regretfully, most other MEPs, and especially the French and Germans, would not tolerate any change in the system.

But the plenary session in June was different.  By one of those coincidences that often occurs in politics, the session followed the announcement of the result of the Irish referendum in which the people of Ireland rejected the Treaty of Lisbon (or as it really should be called, the Second Proposed European Constitution).  This, readers will remember, is the Treaty that gives Europe even more power over our national and local affairs.

Most MEPs, but not me, were sunk in gloom.  They wondered how the Irish could have rejected this Treaty.  A few years ago, the idea of a European constitution had been decisively rejected by referenda in France and Holland.  But the Eurocrats were not prepared to accept that rejection.  They decided to fix the system.  If you didn’t call it a constitution but called it a treaty instead, there was no need for any country to have a referendum on a treaty.  After all, they argued, there had never been a vote in Europe in all of the many previous treaties which had established the European Union.  So they changed a few commas, altered a few documents, made the whole thing completely unintelligible, called it a treaty and not a constitution, and thought they had scuppered all of us who were opposed to further power being given to Europe.

And it all seemed to be going so swimmingly.  Each country, including sadly our own, refused demands for a referendum and argued that their parliaments could approve the Treaty on behalf of their electors.  This was despite the fact that many governments, including our own Labour government, had made a solemn promise to give us all a say.

But everyone forgot about Ireland.  Ireland had to have a referendum because this was required by its constitution.  But the people of Ireland were not going to fall for the con trick of pretending that the Treaty of Lisbon was different to the proposed European Constitution decisively rejected by the people of France and Holland.

Shock horror.  Ireland said no.  Fantastic.  I wouldn’t have liked to be Irish in Strasbourg in June.  MEPs were staggered that Ireland, who had undoubtedly gained economically from being a member of the European union, could have been so ungrateful.  The president of the parliament was furious.  The president of the European Commission was in denial, refusing to accept that one country could prevent the treaty going ahead, despite that being the legal position.

But my joy, I am afraid, might be shortlived.  Europe has a remorseless quality to it.  Those who want a united states of Europe will not give up so easily.  They will bully, bribe, cajole and threaten Ireland in the hope that they can persuade the Irish government to change the decision of their people.  That tactic has worked before with the previous treaty.  And it might work again. 

We shall see.  But my view is clear.  When my little grandson nags me for something, I often tell him that no means no.  The people of Ireland have sent that same message to Europe – no means no.