Britannist

The europhile 'Ed' Davey, the member of the europhile Liberal 'Democrats' who was asked by the Deputy Speaker to leave the House of the Commons Chamber for the rest of the legislative day earlier this week, has an unusual explanation for his party ratting on its promise to hold a referendum on the EU Constitution (now known as the EU 'Treaty').

Speaking on the Alan Titchmarsh programme on ITV 1 Television at 3.03 pm yesterday Davey ludicrously and dishonestly claimed that his party' promise to hold a referendum on the EU Constitution (made in their May 2005 General Election) was actually a pledge to hold a referendum on whether the UK should stay in the EU or not.

He insisted "We (the Liberal 'Democrats') stood at the last General Election on a promise to allow a referendum on the EU Constitution which was effectively a promise on a vote EU membership - so we are trying to honour this promise."

In fact, Davey and his opportunistic and obsessively pro-EU party offered an EU Treaty referendum at the last General Election - not a national vote on the UK quitting the EU. The Liberal 'Democrats' have changed their position from backing an EU Treaty referendum to supporting a vote on EU membership to try to deflect attention from the fact that they fear losing an EU Treaty vote. All opinion polls in the last few years on this issue show that the europhiles (including the Liberal 'Democrats') would be heavily defeated in a national referendum on the EU Constitution/EU 'Amending' Treaty.

EU Treaty referendum supporter Nick Ferrari, the half-Swiss presenter who has a weekday early morning programme on London's independent LBC radio station, said on the same programme in which Davey was appearing "Some politicians are seen as sleazy, on the make and tawdry and they have got to clean up their act." His comment was greeted with a loud round of applause and cheering from the studio audience.

A ComRes opinion poll published in the Independent on 25.2.2008 shows the Liberal 'Democrats' stuck on 17% of the vote despite having a new leader who they had hoped would increase their support.

cassie

Good, informative post Britannia!

The actual words in the Liberal Democrat 2005 manifesto are: "We are therefore clear in our support for the [EU] constitution, which we believe is in Britain's interests - but ratification must be subject to a referendum of the British people."

"Clear" eh? "Ratification" of the constitution/treaty by referendum is effectively about a vote on EU membership! HMMmmm.

Put another way: The Lib Dims didn't mean what they said, because they didn't say what they meant! One can see why they regard themselves as good EU politicians. I regard them as deceitful and mendacious and, worst of all, harmful to Great Britain's interests!


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Britannist

Quality posting from you Cassie (as quoted in full, above).

Thank you for your kind comment Cassie and for the useful quote from the 2005 General Election Manifesto of the europhile Liberal Dims.

Yes, they are a dishonest shower.