tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103556894040956230.post2744621414757279004..comments2023-05-09T10:47:11.886+01:00Comments on #ThingsElliottSays: Weekly Poll LowdownAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12882558835033897347noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103556894040956230.post-49326823516306007222014-02-21T15:48:38.431+00:002014-02-21T15:48:38.431+00:00This is certainly a very complex issue and anyone ...This is certainly a very complex issue and anyone who claims they have a definitive answer either way is either lying, or hasn't looked into it enough. I do though have issue with the Conservatives making moral points about the people 'deserving' a vote. Irrespective of whether that is true, the Conservatives never offered a referendum in 1973 when Heath took us in. It was Labour in 1975 who did. In 1991, the judgement of Factortame 2 declared that European law was superior to national law and the former would supersede the latter is there was a conflict. Any referendum from Major? No. The Conservatives never offered a referendum in 1992 under Major when the Maastrict Treaty was signed. This created the European Union as we know it and massively increased its scope in terms of areas of competence. Any referendum pledges in the 2001, 2005 or 2010 manifestos? Nope. There was a pledge for a referendum lock (in the event of a new treaty that gave more powers to Brussels) but obviously there is no new treaty as of yet to trigger this. So, what of this moral pledge that the people 'deserve' a say? I say that this is a nonsense from the Tories. Cameron was panicking because of the rise of UKIP and rebellious backbenchers, bearing in mind he imposed a three-line whip to vote against David Nuttall MP's motion on an EU Referendum in Oct 2011. Tory leadership past and present have never held the view that the people 'deserve' a say out of moral right. This latest action was done for political reasons, not moral ones.Mark Scarboroughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13637713682157146814noreply@blogger.com