Cameron reneges on Lisbon Treaty vote pledge

[Gromit]

Tory leader to tell the British people that a Conservative government will not give them a referendum on the European Union’s Lisbon Treaty.

http://www.telegraph....on-Lisbon-Treaty.html

Mr Cameron gave voters an “iron-clad” promise in 2007 that a Conservative government would hold a popular vote on Lisbon.

And, in May this year, he said: "A progressive reform agenda demands that we redistribute power from the EU to Britain and from judges to the people. We will therefore hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty."

Why did he not announce this at his party conference as few weeks ago. Is this the kind of duplicitousness we can expect when the Tories come back to power?

[TTG]

He probably wants the President of Europe job....in 5-10 years time.

[jake-the-peg]

I think it's pretty obvious.

He and Osbourne were refusing to answer the what if it's ratified question - insisting that it was just a hypothetical question.

Obviously a nonsensical position for any politician - you might as well stand up and say I don't believe in planning for the unexpected.

It was simply the truth that dare not speak its name to all the Europhobes that he simply did not have an option.

He knows full well how the Tory party have ripeed each other to shreds over Europe in the past and didn't want it to happen again in the full glare of the media in the conference before a general election.

Mybe his new friends in the Eastern block will bring him influence on the mainland - or maybe not

[anotheoldgit]

He actually said that the Tories would hold a referendum on the treaty if it was not ratified.

Since it has now been finally been ratified, it would be a very expensive and useless exercise.

[Gromit]

So how many more "iron-clad" promises will go out of the window?

You can never trust the Tories.

[Sqad]

Gromit

"So how many more "iron-clad" promises will go out of the window?"

He has learnt a lot from Brown, but get used to this, as whether you7 like it or not, he will be the next Prime Minister. There is unlikely to be any change in the way we will feel, but the present Government will be history and that is what the electorate want.

[Gromit]

For info from 5 weeks ago

http://www.theanswerb...s/Question813825.html

[R1Geezer]

Will you noo labour luvvies accept the party's over and stop squirming! Face it your mates blew it and the public are going to boot them out. Continuosuly raising these not picking queries is doing you no favours.

Sureky Brown has signed us up already so what's the issue?

[brionon]

Geezer, And you will be free to Bow to your betters,The Conservatives,natural Leaders !

[anotheoldgit]

/// "If this treaty is still alive, if it is still being discussed and debated anywhere in Europe, then we will give you that referendum///

///He seems to be saying if everyone else has approved the Lisbon Treaty, then so will he, but if anyone else fail to approve it, he will hold a referendum and campaign against it.////

Read your own link Gromit, as I have already said what purpose would it serve to hold a referendum when the treaty has already been ratified, during New Labours term of office?

Now the treaty is signed and sealed then a new set of circumstances apply, and David Cameron will address those at the time."

[Gromit]

AOG

My point is why did he say as recently as September that you would get your Lisbon referendum when he knew it was not deliverable. He needed to fudge the issue at his own conference, because he knows his party is likely to fracture over Europe. He has now done exactly what he (and everyone else) accuse the Government of, a big U-turn on letting the British people vote on the matter.

I am pro-EU as you will know, so I am pleased with the U-turn, but I can imagine the AOGs and Geezers of this country feeling let down for the second time.

[jake-the-peg]

I seem to recall some statement about "Not letting matters rest"

Of course he doesn't have much choice.

Especially now that he's pulled out of alliances with the centre right parties of Sarkosy and Merkel he's got very little clout in most of Europe.

I'm sure he'll be very influencial in Poland and Latvia though!

[R1Geezer]

He had no choice, Brown has already signed us up. He can't really reverse a treaty from a predecessor so really there's no where to go. So I don't see why you say he's renaging, he's said all along if the issue is unresolved then a referendum is on the cards but the issue has gone. Regardless of your stance on on the EU Gromit you must see that. What would you do in his position?

[brionon]

Labour ,Liberal and Tory ALL favour Europe. Get used to it.

[Whoever]

Well, a promise is a promise, and I would still like to have the chance to have my say on whether I would have voted to approve the Lisbon Treaty. Apart from anything else, I think it would give a future British Government a much stronger bargaining position if the rest of Europe knew exactly how much support or otherwise there was for what the Brussels & Strasburg bureaucrats want to do.

[brionon]

Geezer says-'He had no choice, Brown has already signed us up. He can't really reverse a treaty from a predecessor so really there's no where to go,'

And he didn't know this would happen when he made his promise, or Qualify his promise at all ?

[R1Geezer]

No He didn't know, Brown was umming and rrring about a referendum too.

[Gromit]

http://www.timesonlin...pe/article6901184.ece

[Quizmonster]

"Change of mind", eh? Why is it that, when Gordon Brown changes his mind, Tories invariably label it a "humiliating U-turn", but when a Tory is forced to do the same thing, it's nothing but common sense or sweetness and light?

[Gromit]

R1Geezer

The question title is the Torygraph's headline and the first 3 paragrphs of my question are from the Torygraph's story. The Torygraph are saying he has reneged on his promises.

In September, he knew it would be ratified before he came to power but he said "we won't let the matter rest". I suspect he will.