Yes, we want a referendum
Recent polls show that Britons don’t support the EU. Opinium Research found that 67 per cent of voters wanted a referendum on EU membership. YouGov reported that 57 per cent think a future Conservative government should hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty even if it is already ratified. Given a choice between accepting the Treaty as it is, and leaving the EU altogether, only 26 per cent would accept the Treaty.
Uneven fight
In Ireland, the Lisbon Treaty referendum is an uneven fight. The European Commission has spent £1.5 million on an “information campaign” to try to win a Yes vote. And the Irish broadcasting regulator ruled that commercial radio and TV stations did not have to give equal airtime to opposing sides in referendum debates, pleasing the pro-Treaty, ‘Generation Yes’ campaign.
The Irish government refused to impose spending limits on companies campaigning in referendums – who predominately back a Yes vote. US multinational Intel and Ryanair are among those making significant contributions.
Trade unions such as the Technical Engineering & Electrical Union and Unite are campaigning for a No vote. Unite’s Irish Regional Secretary Jimmy Kelly described the declaration offered to Ireland by the EU on workers’ rights as ‘worthless’ and called on his 60,000 members to vote No.
The Irish Fishermen’s Organisation is also against the Treaty. Its south-west Chairman Ebbie Sheehan said nothing had changed in Brussels since 2008 when fishermen first rejected it.
They want to cut off our power
The EU’s Large Combustion Plant Directive will enforce closure of 9 British oil- and coal-fired power plants. Taken with decommissioning of 4 nuclear power stations, 37 per cent of our energy capacity will disappear by 2015. Only now after 12 years is the government thinking about ordering replacements; they will not be operational for more than a decade. Renewable energy is unlikely to meet the expected gap of 3,000 megawatts. This could mean hour-long power cuts for 16 million people simultaneously on winter evenings.