Cameron Needs to Cement New Victory By Confronting Europe

James McConalogue of the European Foundation says:

“David Cameron has achieved a magnificent poll lead, giving the Tories a 41%-38% advantage, but if he wants to keep it, he will have to cement his victory with some real substance on the European issue. What does that boil down to? We need that referendum pledge to also be a post-ratification one, as it was in Wilson’s 1975 EEC referendum. We need the Conservative Party to focus on the fact that this Treaty and the accumulation of the existing Treaties have been pushed through at the expense of democracy and the vital British national interest. The Conservative Party must be a Party for the Referendum and it must be a Party to promise the ‘No’ Vote, given the long-term deceit which has fundamentally altered the relationship which the British people have with the UK Parliament. The country will then be in a position to renegotiate its unfavourable terms with Europe.”

Chairman of the European Foundation and Conservative MP, Bill Cash said to Gordon Brown in Parliament on Monday (22 October):

“Does the Prime Minister accept that by refusing to hold a referendum he is putting not only himself on trial but Parliament itself? Does he not appreciate that 27 million people have been denied the opportunity of a referendum since 1975? Given the circumstances of deceit and the manner in which this treaty has been negotiated, as the European Scrutiny Committee has indicated, it is absolutely essential that we have a referendum. No wonder only 59 per cent of people bother to vote at all. Does he not understand the responsibility upon him?”