What Referendum? British MPs Confronted on Yielding to EU

Jones Report
Thursday January 24, 2008

Members of WeAreChange UK confronted three UK ministers who failed to uphold their promises to hold a referendum on the European Constitution. Many British, including a number of MPs, were outraged at the yielding of British sovereignty to the E.U.

Further, the action goes against Labour Party promises to hold in a referendum in their 2005 manifesto. The EU constitution is clearly a move to concentrate European political power and reduces the sovereignty of individual European states.

SEE ALSO: Democracy Dies in Britain: The British Government's refusal to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty will hammer the last nail in the coffin

The brothers Miliband both denied claims that democratic power had been handed off at the behest of people like Merkel within the E.U. power structure.

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"The substance of the constitution is preserved. That is a fact," Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, European Parliament, June 27, 2007.

Hilary Benn clearly has a less fatalistic view about the E.U. constitution than does his father, Tony Benn, also an MP.

David Miliband is Foreign Secretary and his younger brother, Ed Miliband, is Minister for the Cabinet Office. Hilary Benn is Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

"The debate in parliament to ratify this treaty and for it to become British law started on Monday 21 January 2008. There is a 3 line whip for Labour MP's to vote in favour of the treaty and failure to do so could mean expulsion from the party," according to WeAreChange UK.

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