No apologies, more on the EU Treaty

This time from William Rees Mogg in today's Times, "Gordon Brown, in common with all other Labour MPs, was elected on the Labour Party’s 2005 manifesto. Far and away the most important constitutional provision of that manifesto was the promise to hold a referendum on the European constitutional treaty. That commitment had no qualifications or escape clauses. It was a contractual term of the general election. If there is no referendum, that will be a breach of contract between Labour and the British people.

The manifesto paragraph needs to be read carefully: “The EU now has 25 members and will continue to expand. The new Constitutional Treaty ensures the new Europe can work effectively, and that Britain keeps control of key national interests like foreign policy, taxation, social security and defence. The Treaty sets out what the EU can do, and what it cannot. It strengthens the voice of national parliaments and governments in EU affairs. It is a good treaty for Britain and for the new Europe. We will put it to the British people in a referendum and campaign wholeheartedly for a ‘yes’ vote to keep Britain a leading nation in Europe.” "

and read this paragraph "Last week Mr Brown accepted the reform treaty but he has backed out of his party’s commitment to a referendum, on the false pretence that the two treaties are different. This is not an action in good faith. If he persists in it, he deserves to be removed from office. For a man to obtain an advantage by a trick is inherently dishonest. For a prime minister to do so destroys his covenant of trust with the people he is governing."

Read the rest, beautifully crafted as always and making perfect sense. Read it, pass it on, add it to your blogs, send it to your MPs and ask them to respond, spread the word and let's get something done.