90% demand referendum on EU Treaty

Tony Bennett · 21-09-2007, 04:55 PM

(Sorry if this is elsewhere on the Forum as well) Typical of the BBC to play down this result by saying that 'only 25% voted' - but *well done* to John Barnes and anyone else involved in achieving this 90% result. And it's currently item No. 8 on the BBC news website - excellent, and some positive news for UKIP. Let's hope there'll be many more such referendums in the coming months [see also 'Parish Polls' thread elsewhere on this Forum]:

BBC NEWS | England | Dorset | Villagers back EU referendum call

This has just popped up in the 'Daily Telegraph' - and there's a nice picture with it:

East Stoke celebrates a 'Yes' in EU vote

By Richard Alleyne
Last Updated: 3:55am BST 21/09/2007

The rural rebellion against the proposed EU reform treaty has gathered momentum after villages contacted the Telegraph to announce their intention to vote for a referendum on the issue.

Over 100 people were expected to vote in East Stoke

Five parish communities from Yorkshire to Cornwall said they had proposed ballots, as the residents of East Stoke, Dorset, celebrated an expected "Yes" landslide in their ground-breaking poll.

Parishioners in Sidmouth, Devon, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Loughton, near Milton Keynes, Lanteglos-by-Fowey, Cornwall, and Mawgan-in-Meneage, near Helston, Cornwall, all emailed the Telegraph to say they were in the process of organising votes.

Tess Nash, a resident of Mawgan-in-Meneage, said a parish meeting had been held there at which villagers had voted unanimously for a poll on the treaty.

They have demanded that Kerrier District Council hold a vote in accordance with local government regulations.Under a little-known provision of the 1972 Local Government Act, a district council is obliged to hold a poll if 10 or more local people vote for it.

The surge in support for the campaign for a referendum came on a momentous day for East Stoke and its 300 or so residents, who briefly became a cause célèbre for the debate over Europe after becoming the first community to exploit the legal loophole to force a local ballot.

More than 100 residents – a huge turnout for a parish vote – were expected to pass through the polling station by 9pm last night.

It became clear early on that the majority had voted in favour for the call for a referendum on the EU treaty.

"Finally democracy has been seen to work," said Darren Patterson, one of the organisers and a member of the Campaign Alliance for Referendums in Parishes.

"This expected unanimous vote shows the strength of feeling in the village and I think the country. We hope it will send a message to other people to do the same on this fundamental issue. I have already had calls from Sussex, Nottinghamshire and Bristol from people saying, 'This is great, how do we do it?'."

Gemma Malbon, 24, said: "I am voting yes for a referendum. It is an incredibly important issue for the country and I think the people must have their say.

"I just hope this will have a knock-on effect. There are a lot of problems in England for young people and moving the decision-making to Europe is just going to make it harder to solve them.

"I have never not had a job but I don't even earn enough to pay rent let alone buy a house or plan for the future.

"I have a lot of foreign friends and I love them but I don't want to be European I want to be British."

Peter Edney, 66, who was with his wife Jan, 65, said: "I will be voting yes, yes and yes again."

Mr Edney still lives in the same thatched cottage in which he was born.

"Europe frightens the life out of me. All the money we are giving to Europe would be so much better spent here," he said. "The effect our vote has had has been just amazing. I wake up in the morning and just cannot believe what is going in East Stoke. I hope it gets everything rolling."

John Barnes, another organiser and member of UKIP, said: "The people, by voting a resounding yes, will tell the Government in no uncertain terms that they want the whole nation to be given the opportunity to have a referendum."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

tito · 22-09-2007, 05:02 PM

"East Stoke celebrates a 'Yes' in EU vote"

A misleading statement.

21-09-2007, 04:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tony Bennett Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 767	90% demand referendum on EU Treaty - well done John Barnes (Sorry if this is elsewhere on the Forum as well) Typical of the BBC to play down this result by saying that 'only 25% voted' - but well done to John Barnes and anyone else involved in achieving this 90% result. And it's currently item No. 8 on the BBC news website - excellent, and some positive news for UKIP. Let's hope there'll be many more such referendums in the coming months [see also 'Parish Polls' thread elsewhere on this Forum]: BBC NEWS \| England \| Dorset \| Villagers back EU referendum call This has just popped up in the 'Daily Telegraph' - and there's a nice picture with it: East Stoke celebrates a 'Yes' in EU vote By Richard Alleyne Last Updated: 3:55am BST 21/09/2007 The rural rebellion against the proposed EU reform treaty has gathered momentum after villages contacted the Telegraph to announce their intention to vote for a referendum on the issue. Over 100 people were expected to vote in East Stoke Five parish communities from Yorkshire to Cornwall said they had proposed ballots, as the residents of East Stoke, Dorset, celebrated an expected "Yes" landslide in their ground-breaking poll. Parishioners in Sidmouth, Devon, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Loughton, near Milton Keynes, Lanteglos-by-Fowey, Cornwall, and Mawgan-in-Meneage, near Helston, Cornwall, all emailed the Telegraph to say they were in the process of organising votes. Tess Nash, a resident of Mawgan-in-Meneage, said a parish meeting had been held there at which villagers had voted unanimously for a poll on the treaty. They have demanded that Kerrier District Council hold a vote in accordance with local government regulations.Under a little-known provision of the 1972 Local Government Act, a district council is obliged to hold a poll if 10 or more local people vote for it. The surge in support for the campaign for a referendum came on a momentous day for East Stoke and its 300 or so residents, who briefly became a cause célèbre for the debate over Europe after becoming the first community to exploit the legal loophole to force a local ballot. More than 100 residents – a huge turnout for a parish vote – were expected to pass through the polling station by 9pm last night. It became clear early on that the majority had voted in favour for the call for a referendum on the EU treaty. "Finally democracy has been seen to work," said Darren Patterson, one of the organisers and a member of the Campaign Alliance for Referendums in Parishes. "This expected unanimous vote shows the strength of feeling in the village and I think the country. We hope it will send a message to other people to do the same on this fundamental issue. I have already had calls from Sussex, Nottinghamshire and Bristol from people saying, 'This is great, how do we do it?'." Gemma Malbon, 24, said: "I am voting yes for a referendum. It is an incredibly important issue for the country and I think the people must have their say. "I just hope this will have a knock-on effect. There are a lot of problems in England for young people and moving the decision-making to Europe is just going to make it harder to solve them. "I have never not had a job but I don't even earn enough to pay rent let alone buy a house or plan for the future. "I have a lot of foreign friends and I love them but I don't want to be European I want to be British." Peter Edney, 66, who was with his wife Jan, 65, said: "I will be voting yes, yes and yes again." Mr Edney still lives in the same thatched cottage in which he was born. "Europe frightens the life out of me. All the money we are giving to Europe would be so much better spent here," he said. "The effect our vote has had has been just amazing. I wake up in the morning and just cannot believe what is going in East Stoke. I hope it gets everything rolling." John Barnes, another organiser and member of UKIP, said: "The people, by voting a resounding yes, will tell the Government in no uncertain terms that they want the whole nation to be given the opportunity to have a referendum." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last edited by Tony Bennett; 21-09-2007 at 05:06 PM.

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