Blair Shelves Referendum on EU Constitution

Prime Minister Blair’s office has confirmed that there will not be a referendum on the European Constitution next spring. After the rejection of the treaty by France and the Netherlands, two traditionally pro-Europe countries, a ballot by the Euro-skeptical British would have been a pointless exercise. The Labour government has reserved the right to reconsider, but the Tory opposition is right. This treaty is dead, and the government should say so.

With 25 countries in the European Union, there is a chance of getting a treaty ratified even if a few states are reluctant. If 20 or more were to ratify the agreement, and if the hold outs were little nations of marginal consequence, it would be easy simply to move on without them. In the case of a nation like Britain which has not decided just where it stands on further European integration (after all, there is still a pound in circulation), moving on while working through amendments or annexes that allow integration to move forward are feasible. But the rejections came from France, the indispensable nation in Europe (if only because the French make such noise about being indispensable to Europe), and the Netherlands, a nation that helps foot the bill and has done for decades.

The important thing now is to announce that the treaty is dead. So long as it lingers, there can be no moving ahead. The heads of government meeting next week is going to be a temperature taking exercise, a beaten European political elite licking its wounds and planning its next move. It is vital for the British government to do more than defer a decision. It must declare the treaty is no longer an option, and it must do so before Britain takes over the rotating European presidency on July 1.

The Conservatives’ foreign spokesman Liam Fox said, “Our government could give a lead by saying Britain will not ratify - we're not just suspending this, but there's not going to be a referendum in Britain because the treaty itself is dead.” There is no better way to pursue one’s interests than to control the agenda, and taking such a lead would do that. Moreover, even the Conservatives' most senior pro-European, Kenneth Clarke, said: "After these two referendums it is over. In this country people would think you were dotty if you went ahead with a referendum on a treaty which plainly is no more."

This is the opportunity Britain has worked toward to decades. A Europe of nations, a confederacy at most, in which there is a European attachment that falls short of a European patriotism. The result could be a Europe of open borders and open economies where decisions are made at the lowest possible level (the subsidiarity that has not been practiced enough). Mr. Blair has a few days to drive a revolution in European politics that would improve the entire European project. If not, his legacy will always be Iraq.



© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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