Sunday, 23 October 2011

Spot the difference, if you can

Wintour & Wyatt in the Guardian helpfully point out the marked similarities between the following passage in the Lib Dem election manifesto

The European Union has evolved significantly since the last public vote on membership over thirty years ago. Liberal Democrats therefore remain committed to an in / out referendum the next time a British government signs up for fundamental change in the relationship between the UK and the EU.

and Monday's Commons motion which reads:

That this House calls upon the Government to introduce a Bill in the next session of Parliament to provide for the holding of a national referendum on whether the United Kingdom should(a) remain a member of the European Union on the current terms;(b) leave the European Union; or(c) re-negotiate the terms of its membership in order to create a new relationship based on trade and co-operation.

They also mention how Nick Clegg flounced out of the House of Commons on 26 February 2008 after the [then] speaker, Michael Martin, refused to call a Lib Dem amendment demanding an "in / out" referendum.

Lib Dems however will be voting against the motion. Quelle surprise.

1 Comments:

Armpit said...

@ Spot the difference -
I've been reading the weasel words of Peter Black on this subject. Apparently their is no need for a referendum because the government in not signing up to a fundamental change. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel that a decision to leave the EU would be pretty fundamental.