Labour's EU cheerleader blasts the Lisbon Treaty
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:53 PM on 18th September 2009
The Labour architect of the EU's Lisbon Treaty has warned it puts the future of democracy in Britain at stake.
Former health minister Gisela Stuart said the treaty breached the fundamental democratic principle that voters can get rid of those in power.
Just weeks before the Irish are asked to vote again on the measure, she said it would also allow the EU to launch future power grabs completely unchecked.
Miss Stuart is a pro-European who sat on the committee which drew up the original EU Constitution, later repackaged as the Lisbon Treaty.
Gordon Brown signs the Lisbon Treaty as the as President of the European Commission in December 2007
She said it would leave a huge 'democratic deficit' if passed, leaving the EU's leaders accountable to no one.
She said there would be 'no more treaties, no more referendums anywhere' on EU integration.
The treaty contains a 'ratchet clause', meaning that national vetoes can be scrapped one by one without the need for summits or referendums.
Voters will also have no power to choose or remove a new allpowerful EU president, who will be selected by EU leaders.
Tony Blair is current favourite for the post.
Miss Stuart said: 'My basic test of democracy is: can I get rid of them? By casting a vote, you can change the people who are in control of you.
'Lisbon does not give you, as a citizen, the means to control the executive or the politicians who decide on your behalf, and that's the hurdle it falls on.
'The nature of democracy is really at stake.'
Miss Stuart's comments will increase controversy ahead of the crunch Irish vote on October2.
Voters there threw the ratification process into chaos when they rejected it last year.
Miss Stuart's comments will embarrass Labour, which broke a promise to hold a referendum on the EU Constitution.
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