News from Labour Matters

‘Honest Dave’ Cameron prepares to renege on referendum “cast-iron guarantee”

In an effort to head off a major row at the Conservative conference David Cameron today claimed “there will be no change in our policy on Europe and no new announcements at the Conference”. But closer inspection of the promise shows that ‘honest Dave’ isn’t being straight with us.

Holding out hope that a legal challenge by the Czech Republic’s climate change denying President will scupper the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, Cameron has refused to repeat his “cast iron guarantee” that he would still hold a referendum if he won the next election after the treaty had been ratified.

As Evening Standard political blogger Paul Waugh pointed out yesterday:

‘In September 2007 Cameron wrote a piece for The Sun making his position crystal clear on any EU treaty to result from talks about a constitution. Read this very carefully and you will see there is absolutely no wriggle room whatsoever:

“Today, I will give this cast-iron guarantee: If I become PM, a Conservative government will hold a referendum on any EU treaty that emerges from these negotiations.”‘

In today’s statement however Cameron says:

“If the Treaty is ratified and in force in all Member States, we have repeatedly said we would not let matters rest there. But we have one policy at a time, and we will set out how we would proceed in those circumstances if, and only if, they happen.”

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