It was, at times, a bizarre debate on the new EU Treaty (a.k.a. Constitution) last night in the Commons. Labour and the LibDems were desperate to talk about anything other than their own betrayals of their election pledges to hold a referendum on the issue.
I think we all know why Labour has reneged on its pledge - it would lose a vote of the British people. David Miliband said he was "surprised" and "shocked" when Blair pledged a referendum in 2004 - I think what he really wanted to say was that Blair was mad to make the pledge. Labour's position is dishonest, but at least there is some cynical Realpolitik sense in it.
The LibDems' position, however, makes no sense at all. Their new foreign affairs spokesman, Ed Davey, made a tortured speech explaining why they were breaking their 2005 manifesto pledge. He claimed that what his party wanted was a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union, but their proposed amendment was actually ruled out of order by the Speaker, as being irrelevant to the Bill. Ed Davey said this last night:
"we argue for a different referendum—a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. Let us face it: a referendum on any EU treaty would become a referendum on the UK’s continued membership. Let us not have that debate by proxy on a treaty referendum. Let us have a debate that people want by asking a straightforward, in or out question"
Clarity here - they want an "in or out" referendum, but don't want a referendum on the Treaty (the one they promised) in case it becomes an "in or out" referendum. No wonder no other LibDem stood up to defend their position - Charles Kennedy, the only other LibDem speaker, was, he said, speaking in his capacity as President of the European Movement, and when pressed by me on the LibDem position, couldn't even give lukewarm enthusiasm for the policy:
"The experience of all political parties suggests that when former leaders are asked to interpret policy on behalf of their successors they are rarely helpful to anyone, least of all the successor in question."
Otherwise, a fantastically funny speech was made by William Hague, who gave us his vision of EU President Blair's motorcade pulling up outside Downing Street to visit an unwelcoming Prime Minister Brown, a condensed 8-minute demolition of the Treaty by David Heathcoat-Amory, and a punchy summary of the debate by Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois. Click here to read the whole debate.
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