| Author (Corporate) | BBC |
|---|---|
| Series Title | BBC News |
| Series Details | 18.6.08 |
| Publication Date | 18/06/2008 |
| Content Type | News |
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Brown is feted and criticised over treaty The prime minister left Brussels on Friday hailed by fellow European leaders – but slammed by a High Court judge – after ordering that the controversial Lisbon treaty be pushed through its final parliamentary stages on the eve of a European Union summit. Gordon Brown found himself in the unusual position of being the toast of Brussels for keeping alive hopes in European capitals that the treaty can be saved in spite of Ireland’s No vote in a referendum last week. But Mr Brown’s symbolic gesture – the treaty legislation was signed by the Queen hours before the summit began – was criticised by a High Court judge who will next week rule on a legal bid to force a referendum on the treaty. Lord Justice Richards said the court was “very surprised” that the government was pushing ahead with ratification before a ruling in the case brought by Stuart Wheeler, a eurosceptic millionaire and Conservative party donor. Mr Brown said it would take weeks before the final legal technicalities of ratification took place, meaning the court would rule first. Few in Downing Street take Mr Wheeler’s challenge seriously. The businessman argues that the Labour party’s election manifesto promised a referendum on the EU constitution, the precursor to the treaty, and that this should be honoured. Mr Brown has insisted that the new treaty is fundamentally different to the constitution. In any case, domestic politics would be turned on its head if a court was able to force parties to honour their manifestos. Mr Brown said: “The judge has now replied that he intends to give his judgment next week and of course that fits in with our timetable. “Having had the royal assent, we have to go through all the different procedures before ratification, so ratification will not take place of course until we have had the judgment.” Mr Brown, long regarded as a reluctant European, was thanked for continuing British ratification of the treaty at a dinner in Brussels on Thursday night. The prime minister has been accused by opposition Conservatives of “bullying” the Irish by pressing ahead as if the No vote had not happened. But the next six months could be much tougher for Mr Brown. Nicolas Sarkozy, French president, takes charge of the EU on July 1 with plans to push a distinctly French agenda. Clashes could come on issues including the Doha trade round, agricultural reform, Mr Sarkozy’s push to cut value added tax on fuel sales and the French drive for greater European defence co-operation. British diplomats admit problems lie ahead, but say Mr Brown has a strong personal relationship with Mr Sarkozy. “We are in a position where we can argue these points out from a position of friendship,” said one. Evidence of the warmth of the relationship came with Mr Brown’s disclosure that he spoke over the telephone to Carla Bruni, Mr Sarkozy’s wife, to “wish her well on promoting her new music”. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008 Tory donor fails to force EU referendum Stuart Wheeler, the spread-betting multimillionaire and Tory party donor, on Wednesday lost a High Court battle to force the government to hold a referendum on the European Union’s Lisbon reform treaty. Two senior judges ruled that there was “nothing’’ in the claimant’s case to cast any doubt on the lawfulness of ratifying the treaty without a public vote. Mr Wheeler said he would now take his case to the Court of Appeal, where he had “high hopes’’ of winning. He claims that the Lisbon treaty is essentially the same as the now-defunct European Constitution, which former prime minister Tony Blair pledged to bring to a referendum. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008 |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7461918.stm |
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| Countries / Regions | United Kingdom |
