Referendum refusal to strain Brown’s relationship with the press

In yesterday’s Guardian Andrew Neil predicted that Gordon Brown's relationship with Mail editor Paul Dacre and News International boss Rupert Murdoch “will hit a rocky patch over his refusal to call a referendum over the latest EU Constitutional Treaty.”

Guardian

Referendum pressure grows

The Telegraph looks at the growing clamour for a referendum and reports that the “Open Europe think-tank has even worked out that when all the proposed amendments are taken into account, the new document at 63,000 words is the same length as its predecessor.”  A headline in the Sun attacks “Gord’s own goal on EU treaty”.  It criticises Gordon Brown for deciding to take Angela Merkel to the England Germany football match while refusing to talk to her about the EU Constitution.  A leader in the Sun warns, “If Brown thinks he can bulldoze opposition to the treaty he misjudges the national mood — and the mood of many in his own party.”  EUXTV reports that “Open Europe is seeking a referendum on the EU reform treaty for all EU member states.” 

Telegraph Sun Sun-leader EUX TV

Former head of Diplomatic Service: plans for EU diplomatic service are an "enormous transfer of national sovereignty"

Memo reveals Government has admitted extension of ECJ powers under Constitution

Under the headline, "EU liars" the News of the World reported on a memo from 2000, in which the Government said it did not agree with the extension of European Court of Justice powers under the Constitution over “very sensitive areas” such as criminal justice, policing, asylum and immigration. The memo said that “These raise sensitive issues relating to national sovereignty, law and order and the criminal justice process. This would be a significant extension of the Court’s legal responsibility.” Open Europe’s Neil O’Brien is quoted as saying, “If we sign up to the constitutional treaty it is irreversible. We must have a referendum”. It is also noted that the Treaty would make it easier for asylum seekers to go to the ECJ, and so circumvent British rules. The article quoted Former Europe Minister Geoff Hoon, telling the House of Lords committee last year that the Treaty risked “further complicating our existing asylum and immigration process.” A leader in the paper argued that “The explosive document we have obtained makes absolutely clear that Britain has been secretly yielding vital powers to Strasbourg…In its sneaky deception of the electorate the Government is guilty of a grave breach of trust…PM Gordon Brown must let the people speak.”

David Cameron also had an article in News of the World, criticising Gordon Brown for going back on Labour’s manifesto to hold a referendum on the EU Treaty. Cameron argued that, “[Gordon Brown] claims we don’t need one now because the new document is called a ‘Treaty’ rather than a ‘Constitution’. But it doesn’t really matter what people call it. What matters is that the new treaty means giving away more powers to the EU. That is why we must give people a say in a referendum.” In the article, Cameron quotes Brown before becoming PM, saying “the manifesto is what we put to the public. We’ve got to honour that manifesto. That is an issue of trust for me with the electorate.”