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Gordon Brown Must Deliver on Tony Blair's Referendum Promise
Strasbourg, July 11th 2007 -- Return of the European Constitution in all but name must be put to the British electorate. Tony Blair promised the British people a referendum three years ago and Gordon Brown now has the moral obligation to deliver, Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament Timothy Kirkhope MEP insisted in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.
Speaking in a debate on the Portuguese presidency of the European Union, which began on July 1, he said:
"The British people were promised a referendum on the constitution by Tony Blair three years ago. Our new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has a moral obligation to deliver on that promise. It is clear that confidence in the EU and in politicians is fatally damaged when governments blatantly renege on promises.
"There are also serious concerns in the UK about any downgrading of the Union's commitment to free competition, about the legal position of the so-called British opt out of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, about the collapse of the third pillar and about the creation of a Foreign Minister."
ENDS
