What About the UK Referendum promised by Tony Blair, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives?
Is it just another of their many empty promises? Tony Blair and Gordon Brown reneged on this promise but so has David Cameron reneged on his ‘Cast Iron’ promise on the feeble excuse that it is now called the ‘Lisbon Treaty’ instead.
A recent court case challenged the decision by Gordon Brown not to have the Labour Party manifesto promise of a referendum, along with the formal statement by Tony Blair that the Labour Party manifesto was a Contract with the People. Blair gave a copy of his book to the Labour Party Activist in Worthing who complained that Labour had broken the contract and a court case followed. But Gordon Brown’s barrister Ms. Cecelia Ivimy said on behalf of her client: “They (NuLabour manifesto promises and contracts) are not subject to legitimate expectation”. Astonishing?
Even more astonishing is that the Brighton County Court judge accepted this defence. His judgement was: ‘The public should not expect promises or contracts made in NuLabour Party manifestos to be kept’. A case of lies, damn lies and NuLabour manifesto promises perhaps? From now on any promise in a NuLabour manifesto will be pointless as they can quite legally ignore all promises and contracts made in that manifesto if they regain power. (ref. 2008-15). Presumably that also applies to the Cameron Tories.
The ‘Treaty’ is the Constitution – with a different name. As previously noted: ‘the label on the tin may be different, but the contents are identical’ (see chapter 15 for Mandelson’s statement on referenda and ref. 2006-54). And it should be remembered that the most insidious part of the Lisbon Treaty is that it’s ‘self-amending. Very similar to the 1933 Nazi Enabling Act to allow Hitler to completely bypass the elected Reichstag.
It should be remembered how judges are selected read http://www.theeuroprobe.org/2013-020-the-value-of-party-manifestos/
read also http://www.theeuroprobe.org/2013-013-how-the-lisbon-treaty-was-voted-through/
Mick Greenhough 2009
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