6-18-05,10:11am
BRITAIN’S communists warned yesterday that the European Union’s political elite is manoeuvring to bring in the EU constitutional treaty by the back door.
The Communist Party of Britain political committee drew attention to the refusal of pro-constitution politicians to accept the clear decisions by French and Dutch voters to reject it.
“Eurofanatics such as Denis MacShane and Neil Kinnock would have us believe that the constitution was rejected because of anti-Turkish racism and Islamophobia,” he said.
“But both the French and Dutch campaigns highlighted the institutionalisation of neoliberalism across the continent and, in the Netherlands, there was the added factor of resentment at the concentration of power among the larger countries.”
Mr Haylett pointed out the EU elite had reverted to type in its dismissal of popular sovereignty by claiming that the reasons for the No vote were unclear and insisting that the ratification process should continue.
He criticised proposals to extend the ratification period beyond October 2006 and to hold fresh ballots and warned that a declaration attached to the constitutional treaty provided for the matter to be referred to the EU council of ministers, opening the way to a back-door imposition of the treaty.
“National politicians such as Chirac and Balkenende, who should be defending their people’s decision, are likely to acquiesce to such skulduggery unless they are restrained by public opinion,” said Mr Haylett.
The CPB urged labour movement No campaigners in Britain to continue to expose the truth about the constitutional treaty until political leaders are forced to accept that it is a dead duck.
The committee also called for mobilisation against the government’s refusal to allow public demonstrations outside the Gleneagles Hotel during the G8 summit and its plan to end Brian Haw’s vigil for peace by banning all protests within half a mile of Parliament.
