Tory turmoil over EU as Ireland says Yes to Lisbon treaty | Politics | The Observer .
Three things to say.
First, although there are massive problems in the EU (the CAP, the fact that it gives capital priority over labour and much more, inclduing the need to enhance accountability) I'm delighted the Irish said yes. We need regulation at this scale to take on business abuse. And ultimately it is the dispute resolution mechanism that still may just prevent war when the crisis of the environment really hits.
Second, the reaction shows the complete nonsense that the Tories are a party - the two sides openly loathe each other even more than the labour Left hated Blair.
Third, let's hope the Euro-sceptics deliver mayhem in Manchester. That will really open the political agenda.
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I think there is just one thing I would say.
The Labour party promised a referendum on the treaty in 2005, and in 2009 the man who reneged on that promise seems likely to be made EU president while his unelected sidekick now runs the UK government.
I assume you are not defending such open dishonesty and self-serving behaviour, Richard? It is surely difficult for any party to claim any sort of moral compass in such circumstances. And “unless the Labour aprty is a moral crusade, it is nothing”.
Your analysis is a typical Socialist view of the Tories, but it is flawed. The voting public don’t care about Europe when it comes to elections, although they probably do care that a) Gordon reneged on the manifesto promise to hold a referendum, and b) when Ireland voted no the response was to ask them again. The Tory splits are mildly amusing, but given the current composition of the shadow cabinet, completely irrelevant.
Interesting that the Irish got a second chance to vote after rejecting the treaty the first time round. I wonder how many countries who voted yes originally might have voted differently if they too had been given a second chance to vote ?