Hi AF,
Excellent questions, and so far the answer to both of them is "no". However, Michael Meadowcroft only finally switched to the LibDems in the last couple of weeks, and I suspect that Liberal policy on the EU has long been a delicate compromise between his gung-ho enthusiasm for the EU and the deep euroscepticism of most of the rest of the Liberal Party. He had huge personal influence. We'll just have to see how things pan out over the next few months without him. This
could be a turning point for the Liberals.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Party has sent out a press release about a motion passed at its 122nd Annual Liberal Assembly a week ago. It resolves to campaign for a referendum of the constitutional treaty, and also to campaign for a "no" vote in that referendum:
Liberal Party Press Statement
Quote:
Dear Editor,
The Liberal Party, the Lib Dems and the EU
The Liberal Party, at their 122nd Annual Liberal Assembly last Saturday, renewed their call not only for a referendum but also for a campaign to reject the EU Constitutional Treaty and its limitation of Parliament's existing freedom of action in relation to leaving the EU if the British people so decide.
The EU Constitutional Treaty is effectively the same as the Constitution for Europe. If it were ratified without a referendum, the Government would be signing away Parliament's right to simply say No and leave the EU if we wish in the future. Membership of the EU should remain voluntary and by the consent of the British people. It is essential that we have the referendum which New Labour promised us in 2005, which the Conservatives are calling for but which slippery Gordon Brown is now denying us.
If New Labour divides on this issue, as it may well do, the biggest threat to the continued existence of our independent country would be the continued existence of the Liberal Democrats. They were and still are in favour of the Euro, the Constitution for Europe, the EU Constitutional Treaty and the unelected EU-inspired regional assemblies. Liberals who are concerned about the damage that Liberal Democrats holding the balance of power in Parliament would do to our country must leave the Lib Dems and rejoin The Liberal Party before our constitutional right to exist as a country is surrendered to Brussels.
Yours sincerely
Dane Clouston
Liberal Party National Executive
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15-10-2007, 11:21 AM
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