Can the European treaty get through Parliament without a referendum?

"Gordon Brown would let Britain have a vote on Europe".

So says the Daily Mail this morning. But read carefully, this offer is not all it seems. Mr Brown will have a referendum only in the unlikely event that Mr Blair compromises on the "red line" issues the two men have agreed.

Is this sustainable? I doubt it.

Here's one question I haven't seen asked. Would Parliament allow Mr Brown to pass a Bill without a referendum clause included? It is pretty close call, I would have thought, in the Commons and the Lords.

It all depends on the Liberals. Generally they favour referendums, but they also favour anything Europe favours.

So the Pinstripe Radical has a choice to make.

Comments

[IM English]

Brown's 'take-over' speech should say something like:-

"I will speak honestly and truthfully."
"I will diligently work for the British people, will refrain from calling them citizens and will listen carefully to what they have to say".
"I will immediately halt Intelligence Training for all civil servants and bbc staff in order to bring them back to reality"
"I will work closely with our US and EU Allies to promote open and honest co operation".
(Well, that leaves us just with the US then).

[Bryn]

Despite being a self-confessed europhile, the amount of Anti-EU feeling in Britain isn't surprising. That is why Blair has played a good gane of the referendum issue. If it went to Parliment, the (mostly) pro-european left and centre would probably get the treaty through. However, if it went to the public, the result would be an overwhelming no.