MEP COMMENTS ON FRENCH 'NON'
May 31, 2005 12:00 AM
On Sunday the people of France delivered a decisive No verdict on the European Constitution.
The reasons behind this No were complex. Some people wanted to express their dissatisfaction with the Government. Others straightforwardly did not like the Constitution - because they felt it was too liberal, free-market and 'British', and not sufficiently 'European'.
For better or worse, the French people have had their say. They have made their decision after a huge amount of detailed public debate.
I would like us to go ahead with the British referendum on the Constitution. It would enable us at long last to have an intelligent and informed debate about Europe. But it looks increasingly unlikely that a UK referendum will be held.
What does that mean for us in Sunderland? It doesn't mean the end of the European Union. Existing arrangements for European co-operation will continue. These arrangements are cumbersome now we have 25 member states in Europe, but they do work. My job as an MEP remains the same.
What the absence of a Constitution does mean is that the voice of Europe will be less united and clear on the world stage. It will be harder for Europe to speak with one voice when it comes to negotiating access to Russian oil, or stopping Chinese goods flooding our markets, or supporting peace processes in Africa. It will be harder to move forward with a European knowledge-based economy - and the future of this region depends on that.
Constitution or no constitution, the fundamental challenge remains the same: how do we ensure continued peace and prosperity in Europe? Those who like to say No need now to come up with some alternative suggestions.
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats