Post by earl on Jul 23, 2008 15:07:37 GMT
Lisbon treaty dies if Irish keep No vote, says UK's opposition
An incoming Conservative government in Britain would try to kill off the European Union's Lisbon treaty, unless Ireland reverses its No vote on the controversial text before the next UK election.
William Hague, the Conservatives' foreign affairs spokesman, called on EU leaders to "declare the Lisbon treaty dead" and to concentrate instead on making the Union work under its existing rules.
In the week Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, urged the Irish to reverse their No vote, Mr Hague warned that his eurosceptic party stood ready to drive the final nail into the treaty's coffin if it were to win the next general election, expected in 2010. Mr Hague told the Financial Times a Conservative government would hold a referendum on the Lisbon treaty, unless it had been ratified by Ireland before the next election.
"We would withdraw ratification by Britain and subject it to a referendum, in which we would recommend a No vote," Mr Hague said. Opinion polls suggest Britain would almost certainly reject it.
Mr Hague's comments confirm that Mr Sarkozy and other EU leaders need to secure Irish agreement to the Lisbon treaty before the British election.
The Conservatives are currently 20 points ahead of Gordon Brown's ruling Labour party in the opinion polls. Mr Brown is expected wait until the last possible moment - summer 2010 - before going to the polls.
David Cameron, the Conservative leader, has a parliamentary party that is almost entirely eurosceptic, and promises to lead Britain into a renewed battle to seize power back from the EU in Brussels.
Mr Hague said the Tories were "very positive about many aspects of the EU", including its commitment to tackling climate change and opening markets, particularly in services, and joint foreign policy action on issues such as Iran.
But his promise to stop what he calls "the centralising ratchet" of the EU - epitomised by the Lisbon treaty - is a signal that he is prepared to put Britain at the head of what he believes is a ever more sceptical mood among European voters.
"There are moments when Britain can productively size the initiative and set out an agenda," he said. "We are not afraid to do so."
If the Lisbon treaty has been ratified by Ireland and all other 26 member states before a 2010 British election, Mr Hague has indicated, he would not try to back out of it.
He adds that a Conservative government would "not let matters rest there", suggesting Cameron would try to exempt Britain from areas of the treaty, triggering an inevitable dispute in Brussels.
Mr Hague confirmed that a Tory government would also try to renegotiate Britain's participation in the EU's social and employment laws, which have spawned regulations such as trade union consultation and increased protection for temporary workers. This would require unanimous approval by all other EU member states, an unlikely outcome.
Mr Hague also said the Tories would pull out of the centre-right European People's party alliance after next year's European parliament elections, to form a new "centre-right non-federalist" group.
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Between this and the possible outcome to the UK should they get into power, I feel weird cheering the tories on.
An incoming Conservative government in Britain would try to kill off the European Union's Lisbon treaty, unless Ireland reverses its No vote on the controversial text before the next UK election.
William Hague, the Conservatives' foreign affairs spokesman, called on EU leaders to "declare the Lisbon treaty dead" and to concentrate instead on making the Union work under its existing rules.
In the week Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, urged the Irish to reverse their No vote, Mr Hague warned that his eurosceptic party stood ready to drive the final nail into the treaty's coffin if it were to win the next general election, expected in 2010. Mr Hague told the Financial Times a Conservative government would hold a referendum on the Lisbon treaty, unless it had been ratified by Ireland before the next election.
"We would withdraw ratification by Britain and subject it to a referendum, in which we would recommend a No vote," Mr Hague said. Opinion polls suggest Britain would almost certainly reject it.
Mr Hague's comments confirm that Mr Sarkozy and other EU leaders need to secure Irish agreement to the Lisbon treaty before the British election.
The Conservatives are currently 20 points ahead of Gordon Brown's ruling Labour party in the opinion polls. Mr Brown is expected wait until the last possible moment - summer 2010 - before going to the polls.
David Cameron, the Conservative leader, has a parliamentary party that is almost entirely eurosceptic, and promises to lead Britain into a renewed battle to seize power back from the EU in Brussels.
Mr Hague said the Tories were "very positive about many aspects of the EU", including its commitment to tackling climate change and opening markets, particularly in services, and joint foreign policy action on issues such as Iran.
But his promise to stop what he calls "the centralising ratchet" of the EU - epitomised by the Lisbon treaty - is a signal that he is prepared to put Britain at the head of what he believes is a ever more sceptical mood among European voters.
"There are moments when Britain can productively size the initiative and set out an agenda," he said. "We are not afraid to do so."
If the Lisbon treaty has been ratified by Ireland and all other 26 member states before a 2010 British election, Mr Hague has indicated, he would not try to back out of it.
He adds that a Conservative government would "not let matters rest there", suggesting Cameron would try to exempt Britain from areas of the treaty, triggering an inevitable dispute in Brussels.
Mr Hague confirmed that a Tory government would also try to renegotiate Britain's participation in the EU's social and employment laws, which have spawned regulations such as trade union consultation and increased protection for temporary workers. This would require unanimous approval by all other EU member states, an unlikely outcome.
Mr Hague also said the Tories would pull out of the centre-right European People's party alliance after next year's European parliament elections, to form a new "centre-right non-federalist" group.
_____________________________________________________________
Between this and the possible outcome to the UK should they get into power, I feel weird cheering the tories on.