I am astonished by the brass neck of the Lib Dems in trying to obfuscate the issue as to why it is they are reneging on their General Election promise to give the British people a say, via a referendum, on the Lisbon treaty.
To say that their in-or-out of Europe referendum would be better than the Lisbon treaty obligation is stunning in its deception and squalid in its dishonesty.
They want to offer the people a referendum on an a question they think they can win, but deny the people a vote on a question they know they will lose. They butter it up as a matter of the freedom of speech when it is quite the opposite. They have also imposed a three line whip on their MPs to abstain in the false and hollow hope that their deceit will be diluted by the safety of numbers.
They have it in their power for the people to decide. They could have suggested that we have two questions on the ballot paper- both in and out, and yes and no to the treaty, but they didn't want that.
Their love for Europe is stronger than the decency to keep their solemn word with their own electorates. If Lisbon passes it will be because of their wretched manoeuverings. There is a price for treachery- and the Lib Dems will pay it!