In advance of the key EU Summit on the future of the Lisbon Treaty, which will take place this Thursday and Friday, the Bruges Group will discuss its implications with Irish ‘No’ campaigner Dr Anthony Coughlan. At this summit it is proposed that a series of 'guarantees' will be added to the Treaty to try and steer its ratification through in a second Irish Lisbon referendum.
This summit will have an important effect on the future of the EU and the Conservative Party’s policy on the European Union. The summit will be used to try and persuade Ireland's voters to overturn their rejection of the Lisbon Treaty a year ago and vote ‘Yes’ to exactly the same Treaty in a second referendum in October. The Treaty would then come into force for all 27 EU States on 1st January 2010 before a general election in Britain could install a Conservative Government that is committed to holding a referendum on it in the UK if it has not yet come into force.
There is no legal reason why the Irish Government's second Lisbon referendum must be held in October. This date stems purely from a political commitment that the Irish Prime Minister, Brian Cowen, has given the other EU governments, who are desperate that Lisbon should be brought into force before a UK general election. Forcing any Government led by David Cameron, as recently discussed by Ken Clarke, to accept the Lisbon Treaty as a fait accompli.
Anthony Coughlan will say at Wednesday’s meeting of the Bruges Group,
“The main purpose of the June EU summit meeting will be to play an elaborate game of political and diplomatic hocus-pocus aimed at deceiving Irish voters into thinking that the Lisbon Treaty which they rejected by referendum last year is being changed, when no such change is actually taking place.
“Any change to the Treaty would require ratification from scratch of such changes by all 27 EU States again, so nothing like that is envisaged. What the summit meeting plans is a series of declarations and political promises that will not change the reality of the Lisbon Treaty one iota.”
Dr Anthony Coughlan will also call on the British people to encourage the Irish people and the Irish Government to hold the proposed Lisbon Two referendum in Ireland on the same day as a UK referendum on the same Treaty. And that the Irish Government should be appealed to postpone the envisaged October date for that referendum until there is a new Government in the UK which can hold a referendum there.
THE SPEAKERS
Dr ANTHONY COUGHLAN
Dr Anthony Coughlan, a Senior Lecturer Emeritus at Trinity College Dublin, is one of the Republic of Ireland's leading EU-critics. And is Director of The National Platform EU Research and Information Centre. This is a think-tank which produces documentation critical of closer European integration on democratic grounds for use by ‘No’ campaigners in the Republic's periodic European referendums.
He regards the growth of EU-critical opinion in the Republic of Ireland to be part of a growing international movement throughout Europe in defence of national democracy and the Nation State and subscribes to the dictum of the late President Charles De Gaulle that, "Europe is a Europe of the nations and the states or it is nothing."
Tony Coughlan was responsible for initiating the 1986/7 Crotty case before the Irish Supreme Court. This judgement laid down that a popular referendum was necessary before there could be a surrender of sovereignty to supranational European institutions, as the people are the repositories of sovereignty under the Irish Constitution, so only they can surrender it. It is because of this judgment that Ireland is required to hold a referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon before it can be ratified.
He is also involved in a number of cases before the Irish Supreme Court to try and ensure that the forthcoming Lisbon II referendum is fair and not distorted by the Irish Government.
EDWARD LEIGH MP
Edward Leigh is the Chairman of the Cornerstone Group of Conservative MPs. He has had a distinguished Parliamentary career serving on many committees scrutinising legislation and the government. Since 2001, he has been Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.
Mr Leigh worked in the private office of Mrs Thatcher from 1976 - 77 as her Private Secretary. From 1990 - 1993 Mr Leigh was a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department of Trade and Industry; prior to that he was a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Home Office.
His political interests are; families, foreign affairs, agriculture and defence. Edward Leigh was Chairman of the National Council for Civil Defence and was Director of the Coalition For Peace Through Security.
ADMISSION: £10 payable on the door or in advance
Including wine, orange juice, mineral water and nibbles
LOCATION: Foreign Press Association
11 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AJ
AGENDA:
Lectures: 7.00pm – 8.00pm
Discussion: 8.00pm – 8.30pm
Wine and refreshments: 8.30pm – 10.00pm
WEBCAST OF THE MEETING ON
IMMIGRATION AND THE EUROPEAN UNION
Watch the highlights of the last meeting online
Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of MigrationWatch UK, discussed how the European Union is affecting immigration into Britain. Richard Shepherd MP spoke on the constitutional failings affecting British politics which are preventing the voice of the British people being heard by the political class.
Click here to listen online to Sir Andrew Green
PODCAST
Click here to listen online to Richard Shepherd MP
Click here to watch the highlights of the meeting online
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honorary President: The Rt Hon. the Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, LG, OM, FRS
Vice-President: The Rt Hon. the Lord Lamont of Lerwick, Co-Chairmen: Dr Brian Hindley & Barry Legg
Director: Robert Oulds MA, Head of Research: Dr Helen Szamuely
Washington D.C. Representative: John O'Sullivan, CBE
Founder Chairman: Lord Harris of High Cross, Former Chairmen: Dr Martin Holmes & Professor Kenneth Minogue
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For further information contact:
Robert Oulds
Director
The Bruges Group
227 Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street, London W1B 5TB
UK
Tel: +44(0) 20 7287 4414
Mobile: 07740 029787
Posts
