Shortly before last week’s unexpected referendum decision in Ireland, a journalist in the Scotsman explained why the Irish had chosen to reject the Lisbon Treaty despite the benefits the EU have showered on their country in recent years. He wrote:
‘The anti-EU lobby … have plastered Ireland with posters warning that the treaty will force Ireland to surrender its sovereignty on moral, military and financial matters. One conjures up the memory of Ireland's patriot dead from the 1919-21 war of independence from Britain. "They died for your freedom. Don't throw it all away. Vote no," it reads.’
The EU is, indeed, a giant prison that is steadily being erected around Europe’s populace as they go about their daily lives. It is being built by and to benefit an unelected and unanswerable elite.
Notwithstanding all the sweeteners thrown their way from Brussels to soften them up, the Irish know full well how much sweeter the fruits of freedom taste. That is why the Irish rejected the Treaty, much to the fury of the Euro-elite whose plans to strengthen their stranglehold over the lives of ordinary Europeans that decision has temporarily thrown into chaos.
We should be grateful, therefore, for the opportunity the Irish have temporarily provided the rest of us to mobilise against the giant con-trick that is the EU. Let us hope that the House of Lords uses its comparative political independence wisely tomorrow when the Government seeks to have the Lisbon Treaty ratified despite its rejection by the Irish.
So, on the count of three, let us all join in a rousing chorus of that ancient Gaelic ditty:
When Irish ayes aren’t smiling, sure it’s like from prison being sprung
Praise the Lord for Lisbon's rejection, you can hear it from angels being sung.
When Irish Europhiles aren’t happy, elsewhere in Europe all seem bright and gay
And when Irish ayes aren’t smiling, sure the noes steal your heart away.
Comments (6)
Mr Collins,
But we are in a democracy and our politicians are behaving as they have always done. T'was ever so. I am not being sarcastic here, democracy to them is where you vote them in to do what they want to or what they tell us they think is best for us. I REPEAT- THIS IS NOT SARCASM. If being in this version of an EU (there may be many others which may emerge one day) is not to your taste, then with the greatest of respect, you must vote for a party which wants to get us out, and you should encourage those you know to do the same. There's even a choice.
I am pleased to see that Mr Worthy, like many others, now see leaving the EU as inevitable. It is slowly getting less popular and people are getting fooled less of the time. Sooner or later the mainstream politicians will take note and start changing their attitude. One can accelerate this process by not voting for those who would have us stay in. Things rarely change over night but they can be made to change with patience.
Posted by G Heath | June 27, 2008 5:56 PM
Posted on June 27, 2008 17:56
I always thought Democracy was something along the lines of 'Government by the people, for the people'.
Sadly, today we have a process where Governments of all flavours simply behave as dictators. They heap new, unasked-for laws upon us almost daily.
No wonder they seek a high turnout at elections to provide them with a 'Do as you like for the next five years' mandate.
Posted by Tony Collins | June 27, 2008 12:58 AM
Posted on June 27, 2008 00:58
G Heath is right in saying that we will have to leave the EU eventually. EU leaders have reacted to the Irish No in their usual way - treating it as an annoying inconvenience which can be brushed aside. They will succeed, one way or another, with the active connivance of our own Government. All we will gain from the Irish No is one more demonstration of how utterly undemocratic the EU is. I for one would prefer to restore our own democracy than be ruled by the EU political elite. The sooner we leave the better.
Posted by K Worthy | June 26, 2008 9:46 PM
Posted on June 26, 2008 21:46
We have no need of a new form of democracy, ours is just on hold. It is inevitable that the UK will leave the EU, though it may take about 20 yrs. This can be accelerated just by making sure everyone you know understands that there is life (and a more properous one) outside the EU, and to know how to rebut the nonsense spoken by the EU fanatics. Just as with global warming, once the polticans know we are no longer falling for the scam, they will change their tune.
Posted by G Heath | June 25, 2008 8:48 AM
Posted on June 25, 2008 08:48
David, I am mobilised.... but where do I turn my tank exactly?
Peter, I really hope you are right about Humpty.
I am a little tired of hearing that our political system is amongst the most progressive / best / democratic etc.
When it permits what we have today, it is an archaic, outdated, sinister monument; no longer anything near fit-for-purpose: Not what anyone's grandparent fought for, thats for sure.
The hope has to be a rise in new, as yet unestablished forms of direct democracy over the next decades.
Posted by Anthony | June 18, 2008 8:50 PM
Posted on June 18, 2008 20:50
As Humpty-Dumpty said to Alice: "When I use a word, it means what I want it to mean. The question is: Who is to be master? That's all."
The various "Eurocrats" and their supporters seem to be under no doubt as to who they think should be master.
Perhaps they need reminding what happened to Humpty-Dumpty.
Posted by Peter Davey | June 17, 2008 4:02 PM
Posted on June 17, 2008 16:02