Kirkhope Welcomes Referendum Lock
Brussels, 14 September 2010
Conservative Leader in the European Parliament Timothy Kirkhope MEP today welcomed the Government’s pledge to introduce a bill setting out an EU ‘referendum lock’, preventing the kind of sovereignty and competence creep that were the hallmarks of the Labour Government’s European policy.
Mr Kirkhope said that the move now provides a clear break with the past, allowing the British public a clear and decisive say on handing over any further powers to Brussels.
In a statement, Mr Kirkhope said:
“Conservatives, unlike the previous Labour administration, respect the will of the British people. Decisions taken in Brussels are crucially important to how we function as a nation. We have had enough of constant sovereignty creep and attempts at power grabbing emanating from the EU. Now, for the first time, the British public will be given a say in any future referenda on whether they want Europe to have more powers at Westminster’s expense.
“I wholeheartedly welcome the Bill. And Conservatives in the European Parliament have always been four-square behind moves to give the public more of a say in how Europe works.”
Ends
Note to Editors: the key points of the bill are as follows: The Government will introduce a Bill which would require that:
(a) any proposed future EU treaty, agreed by all EU Member States’ governments, including the UK government, which sought to transfer areas of power or competence from the United Kingdom to the European Union would be subject to a referendum of the British people; and,
(b) the use of ratchet clauses or passerelles, provisions in the existing EU Treaties, which allow the rules of the EU to be modified or expand without the need for a formal Treaty change, would require an Act of Parliament before the Government could agree to their use.
