Today's result from Ireland and a clear rejection of the Euro Constitution immersed in what was name a "Reform Treaty", is disastrous for the EU, but is the very last thing either Gordon Brown or Nick Clegg wanted right now.
Gordon Brown's problems seem to double by the day and have been well documented, but having only got the 42 vote through by a wafer thin margin, Gordon Brown must be dreading that the Euro Constitution might resurface in another amended form shortly before a general election and require another re ratification by parliament.
Nick Clegg too must be worried. The decision to put a three line whip to tell Lib Dem MP's to abstain, thent Lib Dem Lords were told to oppose, all while many voters lived under the preoccupation that the Lib Dems actually supported the idea of a referendum in the 2005 manifesto, left deep divisions, made the party seem untrustworthy and lacking direction, and brought Nick Clegg's leadership in to question very early on in his leadership. Since then Nick has done well to reunify the party and bring people back on board, and many of the electorate have forgotten what the Lib Dems did, but the idea that this might become an issue again must be a worry for Lib Dem strategists.
This leaves, of course, the Tories, who must be laughing their socks off right now. But lets face it, we could all see this coming, and it was exactly the reason why some were so opposed to a referendum on the EU constitution in the first place. Quite simply, people are sick of the EU and want to vent their anger at it.
3 comments:
The party response will be interesting.
The treaty cannot now go ahead.
We have to come up with an alternative future for the EU away from this treaty.
I consider myself a federalist but we have to take the people with us.
Not sure the Tories will want too much attention on the EU with their MEPs!
You don't make a promise then break it. Nick Clegg has a lot to learn! We all want a referendum on the so called Lisbon Treaty, which is only the Europena Constitution with another namne. Do they think we are all stupid?
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