It is a fact that a high proportion of the electorate within the UK are anti- EU.
But, do they really want the UK to leave the EU?
Let us assume that the Lib Dem party manifesto promises an IN-OUT referendum within one year of taking office.
Bearing in mind that they campaigned for such a referendum at the time of the Treaty fiasco in the Commons last year, I think they will lose much credibility if this quietly disappears!
Would this make enough of us inclined to vote for them, and might they actually be elected as a result?
They would declare themselves as being pro-EU and would be campaigning for an IN vote, so it would certainly seem a two edged sword.
Personally, I think it would win them considerably more votes, but not nearly as many as a far more meaningful referendum would.
What if the majority of the electorate really do want us to stay in the EU, but far too many of them will vote for OUT simply because they do not like the way the EU functions at present, nobody seems to listen to their complaints, and the only choice being given is IN or OUT?
What if they really only want to see the way the EU functions reformed?
Why not offer the electorate a referendum that involves two leading questions -:
Do you want the UK to leave the EU? - YES or NO
Do you want the UK to stay in the EU, but wish to see the EU reformed? - YES or NO
During the run up to this referendum the reforms desired by the electorate would become clear, and the UK would be at far less risk of a much feared protest vote for OUT.
In my view, the most democratic party out there, the one laying claim to be doing the most to reform the workings of the EU, should take note!
Billbloggs
Please note: This blog post was post by Dazmando for and on behalf of Billbloggs as a guest post.
Billbloggs has send in an email request to Nick Clegg for him to answer the above question on Sundays Q&A session with him at the Lib Dem Party conference, Billbloggs has also sent a letter to the Lib-Dem news on the above subject for publication.
An interesting idea changing the EU referendum question. I think that its still a hard sell as the Lib dems wont get alot of exposure for this change and there is so much negitive press against the EU. Some true but most I think is simply wrong. Why do we not like the EU so much the EU countrys cope ok and we are prefectly happy to move to Spain or France using EU laws, ever understood the problem myself. Yes the EU does need reform however need to be more democratic put people dont go and vote for the EU anyway so whos fault is that. vote for EU hater parties really does not help change the EU an I can see how that inturn helps us in Europe. So yeah lets change the question but im not sure it will do any good unless people get to hear what the Lib Dems actually have to say about it
ReplyDeleteTypical wishy washy Dim Lib solution. The first suggested question of IN or OUT should be the only one asked; and the inevitable OUT response delivered to the people by getting OUT of the undemocratic political monolith. Asking if you think the EU should be reformed is a rubbish question because it is has no obvious objective action in response to a YES. VoteUKIP4sure.
ReplyDeleteVoteUKIP4Sure
ReplyDeleteDim Lib that's very good better then con-servative or U KIP.
Anyway
This is a blog so this is not the Lib Dem policy just an idea. Obviously UKIP would take us out of the EU and I do understand the problem with the EU although its not totally undemocratic other wise why would UKIP have voted for MEP's.
But why do you think that no main party is actually going to pull the UK out of the EU. Which is the whole reason for the UKIP single issue parties existence.
The UK would be excluded from key decision which if we like it or not would still effect us anyway. the EU would be more willing to send economic migrants to the UK. British citizens would be kicked out of Spain and France etc if we went down the road of excluding EU citizens. With the problems of climate change food sharing and farming is going to be even more important and also immigration control. We have to work together.
There would be a total economic collapse which would be compounded by our national debt, the money saved by pulling out would easy be offset by the total collapse of sterling and the UK economy perhaps for that reason alone it would simply not happen unless there was a referendum on the EU itself.
Also people forget that since the EU excistance no member countrys have gone to war with each other ad we all know europes history with regards to that.
Your position is wrong. We do not need a EU to do these things. Co-operation between sovereign nations can address any farming, food sharing or other commercial issues through free trade. Free nations would not 'kick out' foreign nationals if they were law abiding and net contributors to their economy. No one died of starvation in a pre-EU 20th century Europe because there was no Eurpoean-wide political structure. Tell us what was and is the problem that the EU solves? We don't need a political dystopian EU that has no democratic mandate and don't present a manifesto for regular democratic review. As for the old chestnut about preventing more european wars; that is a ridiculous justification for the imposition of EU policies that are totally unrelated to peace between nations - light bulbs! As for UKIP MEPs; the electorate voted 13 UKIPs in because they know that having representation inside the beast will expose it for the vile monstrosity it is. We now work and fight for UKIP MPs, because they are the ones that under the current constitution could tear up the EU treaties that other main parties and their Liberal lackeys have forced upon us to our detrement.
ReplyDeleteOnly one party took us into the EU and it was not the Lib Dems so please stop using the word liberal when it is not true. Liberals are not lackeys and have their own minds and policys just like UKIP does.
ReplyDeleteThe Lib Dems would be a better party to vote for on the EU question because at least we would give the general public a referendum on being in or out of the EU. Even thought the Lib Dems support being in the public would get a chance to have their say and you for example could vote to be out of the EU, after all UKIP have even less chance then the Lib Dems of gaining power at Westminster.
The fact is that we can actually leave the EU at any time so even though we endorse EU laws etc we can just leave if they do something really crazy. So the EU don't really hold ultimate power over us or Westminster.
Sometimes it is best to not just give up and just walkway. Its better in the long run if you stick with it and try your hardest to improve the EU for all and make it the democratic parliament it should be. Some how our European neighbours manage to get along with EU policy most European counties for some reason want to stay in the EU and those countries still function democratically.
BTW I would conceed that the manifesto point is a very good one. But the Lib Dems want to change the EU and make it more democratic and not go along with any old law the EU come up with.