UK ‘No’ vote ‘could end EU membership’

By Martin Banks

Date: 27/01/05

FAILURE to endorse the proposed EU constitution in the UK could spell the end of British membership of the European Union, a senior MEP has predicted. Andrew Duff said that if the referendum on the EU constitution was lost, "the UK will be in real danger of finding itself on its way out of the EU, detached from our main market and losing influence across the globe".

Duff, a Liberal, made his comments while giving evidence, along with Socialist MEP Richard Corbett, to the British House of Commons' European Scrutiny Committee and the House of Lords EU Committee on Tuesday (25 January).

All 25 member states must back the text by referendum or parliamentary vote before it can enter into force. Ten countries have so far confirmed that they will hold referenda on the constitution, which is to come into force in November 2006.

Spain will hold the first, on 20 February. A public vote is not expected in Britain until next year.

Critics say the constitution is a further step towards a federal Europe but advocates say it ensures effective operation of the enlarged 25-state EU.

UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw this week revealed the question the British government is to ask in the referendum on the constitution. Voters will be asked: "Should the United Kingdom approve the treaty establishing a constitution for the European Union?"

The Conservative and Liberal parties in the UK said the wording of the question seemed straightforward.

Lithuania and Hungary, two of the ten countries that joined the EU last May, have both ratified the constitution by parliamentary vote.

While giving evidence, along with Socialist MEP Richard Corbett, to the British House of Commons' European Scrutiny Committee and the House of Lords EU Committee on 25 January 2005, Liberal MEP Andrew Duff warned that failure to endorse the Constitutional Treaty in the UK could spell the end of British membership of the European Union. He said that if the referendum on the EU constitution was lost, 'the UK will be in real danger of finding itself on its way out of the EU, detached from our main market and losing influence across the globe'.