PAISLEY AND McGUINNESS MUST DEMAND A REFERENDUM ON EU TREATY FROM GORDON BROWN SAYS NICHOLSON
UUP MEP Jim Nicholson today called on the First and Deputy First Minister to heed the Assembly and demand the Prime Minister for a referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon.
The Treaty was voted on today and passed in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
In a statement, Mr Nicholson, who voted against the Treaty, said in a statement,
“The people of Northern Ireland, like their neighbours across the border, should be given their say on this treaty. The Prime Minister is not keeping the promise that his predecessor gave on a referendum for the UK. This is because he knows that the Lisbon Treaty is the old rejected European Constitution repackaged and re-branded but it’s the same product with the same aims.
The Prime Minister is treating the public with disrespect. I am sure that a majority of people, like me, can see the clear benefits of a Europe of Independent States, working together to meet the challenges of globalisation, global poverty and global warning to name but three, but that does not mean we want to cede more of our national powers to Brussels. Perhaps Gordon Brown doesn’t mind being behoven to a European President, but it is not something that I, or I believe the people of Northern Ireland want.
Last October the Northern Ireland Assembly called on the government to hold a referendum on the new European Treaty. I am calling on the First and Deputy First Minister to heed that call, listen to the Assembly, listen to Northern Ireland’s MEPs and listen to the public. Paisley and McGuinness must demand a referendum for Northern Ireland from Gordon Brown on this Treaty.”