Blair gives us the vote on the EU

[Vanhalen 0]

Tony Blair says a referendum is to be held on the new European constitution following a "partially...successful campaign" by opponents of the treaty.

For months the prime minister has denied the need for a vote, but on Tuesday he admitted it was time to "let people have a final say".

He said enlargement of the EU from 15 states to 25 is "right for Europe and for Britain and this country should support it".

The EU is set to enlarge on 1 May.

A referendum on a constitution would be the first major gauge of public opinion on the EU since the 1975 referendum on whether Britain should stay in the Common Market.

BBC political editor Andrew Marr said Mr Blair would be "very, very badly damaged" if he lost a referendum "and probably would have to stand down".

But some pro-European campaigners believe it is a tactical decision to stop losing votes in the June European elections rather than a strategy for Britain's relationship with Europe.

The draft constitution was drawn up last year but so far European Union leaders have failed to agree on the final details. They want to reach a deal by the end of June.

The prime minister has previously said the vote was unnecessary because the treaty would not fundamentally alter Britain's relationship with the EU.

Here is some of Mr.Blairs previous statements on the subject.

May 2003

"I see no case for having a referendum on this, and indeed, in relation to many of the allegations made about the impact of the European convention, they are indeed scaremongering."

Blair statement in House of Commons

17 October 2003

"There will not be a referendum. The reason is that the constitution does not fundamentally change the relationship between the EU and the UK."

October 2003

"There is a proper place where this constitution can be debated. It is Parliament. It has to pass through both Houses of Parliament and I think it is preferable to do that than to have a situation, as I know some of the Conservatives and eurosceptics want, where we literally for the next few months in the country debate the intricacies of the constitution."

Blair at EU summit in Brussels

December 2003

"Let's wait and see what we get as to the European constitution."

March 2004

"In any debate in the country the choice is absolutely fundamental: it is between those who want to renegotiate Britain's essential terms of entry and those who believe Britain's future lies in Europe. And I believe that is a debate we can and will win."

April 2004

"Our policy has not changed and if there is any question of it changing I can assure you we will tell you."

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Is the vote going to be pro- or anti-EU?...

[TheFranchise 0]

Personally, i'm Anti-EU, how about everyone else?

[Vanhalen 0]

Im very anti europe, for kkk its basically a new constitution that was going to be passed on us, i.e Europe could take control of our armies, pass taxation down upon us, make laws about our country, there has been a lot of public pressure and also form the newspapers for about two years now for this, and hes basically had to given in, if he loses this vote(which he probably will do, opinion polls have it at about 80% against) then he will have to resign, but he will prbably stage it after the general election in may 2005, so even if he lost this vote, his government would stay in power

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Ugh....... more reasons to hate the EU. Bad enough they try to dictate to the U.S. about our policies but trying to completely take over the U.K. is unacceptable.

[teke184 0]

I personally think that the EU is a bad idea and that the UK would give up FAR more than it would gain if it fully joins the EU.

 

Granted, this is the conservative American in me, but it would sacrifice the special relationship between the US and the UK because the UK would have to play "Mother May I" with 12 other countries (UK + 12 = simple majority of EU) including France and Germany in order to do anything.

[Guest jpclemmons]

Personally, i'm Anti-EU, how about everyone else?

I'm against the EU also. But the it would be a good idea to unify the currencies with the Euro in a small continent thats basically the size of the US.