Letters from Members of The House of Lords
Below are some letters and e-mails we received from Members of The House of Lords who support a referendum on the EU Treaty
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This e-mail was received from Lord Alton who is a prominent
Liberal Democrat
From: ALTON, Lord
Sent: 29 March 2008 16:11
Cc: ALTON, Lord
Subject: FW: Lisbon Treaty ReferendumThank you very much for your letter about the Lisbon Treaty. I entirely agree that a referendum should take place on the Treaty.At the time that Parliament approved the Maastricht Treaty I was one of the three sponsors of the campaign for a referendum (along with Margaret Thatcher and the late Peter Shore). I argued that before such a significant step was taken, the public had a right to hear the arguments and that a referendum campaign would enable this to happen. As with Maastricht, there is a real danger that small elites are determined to push forward an agenda that does not enjoy public confidence. I am one of those who would be opposed to leaving the EU but believe that a creeping movement towards a centralised, unified, European state should be strongly resisted.I have a further reason for believing that the Lisbon Treaty should be subject to a referendum.At the last General Election the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats committed themselves to a referendum on the proposed European constitutional treaty: that was a manifesto commitment. This was a point made by some of those MPs who rightly defied the imposition of a three line whip requiring them to abstain on the House of Commons vote for a referendum. As with the recent decisions on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (by the Labour Party to impose a three line on the creation of animal human hybrid embryos and the Liberal Democrats to do the same on the “the need for a father” - neither of which, paradoxically, were commitments in their manifestos), this use of whipping suborns Parliament and subverts the role of MPs. To renege on the manifesto commitment to hold a referendum, on the basis that the Lisbon Treaty and the constitutional treaty are not the same thing, simply will not wash. 240 of the 241 provisions that were in the constitutional treaty are in the Lisbon Treaty. To pretend that this is not the same thing smacks of cynicism and is a political sleight of hand. That will further diminish respect for our political leaders and undermine confidence in our democratic processes. Thank you again for writing,Yours sincerely,David Alton(Professor Lord Alton of Liverpool)House of Lords,London SW1A OPWaltond@parliament.uk www.davidalton.com
This e-mail was received from Baroness Anelay who is the
Leader of the Opposition in The House of Lords
Baroness Anelay has asked me to thank you for your letter on the Lisbon Treaty. I can assure you that we will be doing our very best to ensure that this House of Parliament at least stands by the promise to the British people that was given by all parties at the last General Election to have a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.We find it deeply shaming that the Labour and Liberal parties have so cynically dropped the pledge that they gave to secure election in 2005. No wonder there is such disillusionment with politics. This is a constitutional Treaty. It has a substantial effect on our capacity to make our own decisions. To pretend otherwise simply insults the intelligence as William Hague time and again demonstrated in the debates in the Commons. The British people should be able to decide.With many thanks again.Claudia Copithorne
PA to the Leader of the Opposition and the Opposition Chief Whip
Opposition Whips Office
copithornec@parliament.uk
tel: 0207 219 3236
fax: 020 7219 0304
