It is with sadness but little surprise that I read this article and others from what’s collectively described as the world press.
We may have rejected the treaty but EU leaders, especially the commission president Juan Manuel Barroso are saying the “treaty is alive”. They stab at it with their steely knives etc. Leaving the humour aside it just confirms that this is a “ratify or else” treaty with Barroso making rather pompous comments about getting an explanation for this from BIFFOT.
The conversation may go something like this
Barroso: “BIFFOT, how did your teeny weeny insignificant country think they could actually reject this treaty? Make them Vote Yes next time. I don’t care how you do it. You can’t be the Euro lap dog if you shit on our carpet.”
Cowen: “….. Yes boss…”
Of course he won’t call him BIFFOT (probably). And that’s the nub of the issue. Barroso was hopeful we’d all do what we were told and vote yes. His patronising and in my opinion obnoxious attitude comes from his belief in the grand European plan, whatever means are required to implement it. He is not the first European to have such a plan (think Napoleon etc.) but the current Eurocracy have a most cunning way to implement it. BIFFOT will be put under pressure to get this thing through, whatever it takes. The people of the country have rejected it and yet “senior sources” close to the government see “little alternative but a second referendum”.
This Treaty required unanimous ratification, those were the terms under which it was to be introduced. It hasn’t gotten it. We’ve rejected it yet our clear NO is being dismissed. The Treaty should now be DEAD, not alive no matter what Barroso or any of the other leaders are claiming.
Mr. Barroso is now attempting to subvert democracy in a sovereign nation and conveniently ignoring the terms of ratification for the treaty. It’s as simple as that. I remember hearing those seemingly daft Euro sceptics in the UK when I was much younger (think Norman Tebbit, Tony Benn etc.) and thinking how crazy they were that they didn’t trust what appeared to be a great and wonderful endeavour. It is largely a great and wonderful endeavour and it’s worth tempering whatever nationalistic fervour we may feel to participate. However a federalised Europe goes way beyond the 4 freedoms. It takes the envisaged benefits of cooperation and solidarity many steps too far. The comments today from Merkel, Barroso etc. show how the grand experimented has been perverted and the most basic right, democratic governance, is dismissed. It’s disappointing and disheartening.
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