Miliband Does Not Trust The British People To Decide Their Own Future.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3017829/Giving-voters-say-Britain-s-membership-EU-clear-present-danger-economy-claims-Miliband.html

/// Giving voters the choice of staying or leaving the European Union poses a 'clear a present danger' to Britain's economic recovery, Ed Miliband claimed
today. ///

[dannyk13]

Plonker.

[sandyRoe]

Come, come. AOG is as entitled to post as anybody else. ☺

[dannyk13]

Naughty, Sandy

[DTCwordfan]

Miliplonker then?

[ToraToraTora]

Like all socialists, Ed knows best.

[Baldric]

Do the British People trust Miliband?

[DTCwordfan]

Therein lieth the problem, Tora; his brother knows best.

[naomi24]

I'd hazard a guess that there are many British people who don't trust Ed Miliband with their future.

[Gromit]

The Conservatives' record on giving the public a choice on Europe...


1973 - Tories frogmarch the UK into the EEC without a referendum.
1975 - Tories campaign to stay in the EEC during a Labour referendum.
1983 - Tories win election, despite Labour's pledge to leave the EEC.
1986 - Tories sign SEA.
1992 - Tories sign Maastricht.
1995 - Tories begin to negotiate Amsterdam.
2007 - Tories give 'cast-iron pledge' to give Britons a referendum on Lisbon.
2010 - Tories break pledge over Lisbon.

[DTCwordfan]

Probably starting with the Queen and Prince Phil, naomi.

I wonder, does he get a vote?

[cassa333]

They all think that. It's just that he was daft enough to say it out loud.

[jim360]

Let's not forget the "Let's take what should be a serious discussion about our electoral system and turn it into a chance to *** off our coalition 'partners'" AV Referendum.

All the same, I am frustrated by Labour's stance on this. An EU Referendum is not in itself a bad thing since it only presents a danger if the vote is "no" -- and possibly not even then. On the other hand, having the uncertainty constantly bashing around for yet another cycle strikes me as a great way to create potential danger.

Put the case for the EU before the people, Ed, and let them decide.

[jno]

Mliband is standing for election, so he obviously does.

[Gromit]

If Labour are standing on the ticket of staying in the EU, then the British public have a choice of voting for that or not.

If Labour lose the election, then the public will have spoken. But if Labour win, then obviously all the anti-EU lot will shut up for 5 years.

[naomi24]

Gromit, //If Labour are standing on the ticket of staying in the EU, then the British public have a choice of voting for that or not.//

You’re spinning again. From what I’ve heard so far that won’t be their front-runner, and even if it is it can’t be assumed that everyone who votes Labour is pro-EU. The only way to decide that is through a referendum.

[Gromit]

Naomi,
If someone is anti-EU but votes for Labour at the election, they must believe that it isn't important. Or that there are more important considerations that over-ride their views on Europe.

If a pro-EU Party is elected then this whole referendum nonsense goes away for 5 years. If Labour lose then we will have to see if the Conservatives break another promise or not.

To try and suggest a Labour win still means there should be a referendum is just odd.

Of course all this is hypothetical because Dave's going to have a stonking majority because he is promising a referendum.

[Jackdaw33]

You could be right there, Gromit. We can but hope.

[jim360]

Gromit's probably being sarcastic but were it not for the fact that I'd rather see Labour hold off the SNP I might well have been tempted to vote Tory on the Referendum issue...

[SirOracle]

King Canute springs to my mind,Jim360.

[naomi24]

Gromit, //If someone is anti-EU but votes for Labour at the election, they must believe that…. there are more important considerations that over-ride their views on Europe.// (Irrelevant bits edited out).

For dyed in the wool Labour voters there are more important considerations. Often the fact that their ‘old dad’ voted Labour and anything that will keep the Conservatives out, is a more important consideration for them.

/To try and suggest a Labour win still means there should be a referendum is just odd.//

No it isn’t. See above. Staunch Labour voters are not necessarily pro-EU - but they are determinedly pro-Labour - and that, in their estimation, overrides all.