Each week I publish my own “Kev’s Column” on-line. This week I take a look at the speech given by Ed Miliband about Labour’s Policy on a Referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU:
It is unclear exactly what headline the Labour Party wanted out of Ed Miliband’s speech this week setting out his policy on a Referendum about Britain’s Membership of the EU.
On the one hand the ultra-loyal Daily Mirror described him as pledging to hold one, but most of what was said appeared to indicate the position was he would not hold one. This was what dominated the majority of the media coverage with most reports taking the line that he would not hold one.
The debate about Britain’s place in the European Union is one that will have a profound impact for our future, whichever side of the IN/OUT fence you are on. The Referendum held in 1975 proved decisive for a generation and only after the debates around the Maastricht Treaty nearly twenty years later did any widespread discussion about our future role re-emerge.
There have always been those who have argued that unless you sign up to everything you are holding the UK back. These were the people who twenty years ago were trying to make the case for Britain to join the Euro and dismissed those who argued against as being backward looking, despite the clear warnings about Britain’s economy being very different to those of Southern Europe.
Thankfully the UK avoided the disaster Euro membership would have been and given the collapse of the Cypriot, Greek and Spanish economies only the most blinkered supporter of the EU would argue Britain should join.
Being a part of the EU is not about constantly saying yes, David Cameron vetoing the proposed Fiscal Pact Treaty in 2011 reflected the fact that the UK would be the member most affected by its provisions. Immediately some on the left cried how we would be “isolated” and without partners. The same claims were made as the UK called for cuts to the EU Budget in the face of resistance from member states such as France. Yet with support from partners who took the same view as the UK the first ever cut in the EU Budget was agreed.
Ed Miliband’s speech this week reflected the tired idea that you have to say “Yes” to everything or leave, something he is joined in by parts of the Lib Dems and UKIP. His proposal to change the Referendum Lock Legislation passed in this parliament, which guarantees a Referendum on any Treaty that transfers powers to Europe, reflects the policy Nick Clegg abandoned a few years ago. Namely that we would have a referendum on a future power transfer, but only on the basis that if we voted “No” we would be voting to leave. Effectively a gun to the head of the electorate, agree with me or else.
If Ed got his way Britain would be in the unique position where every time there was a Treaty change agreed we would not have a vote on it, but on whether we should leave. No chance to vote that we should retain our membership, but not agree to the transfer of power, something other countries such as Ireland have done in the past. It would be like being in a Sports Club that proposes a change in its membership rules and then says anyone who does not agree must leave immediately. My suspicion is if such a treaty did happen Ed’s policy may be quickly dumped in favour of a Referendum on the Treaty alone as most people do not react well to threats.
It is genuinely disappointing that Labour now appear to have decided not to support holding an In/Out Referendum in the near future. The chance to work on a cross party basis to decide the details around one, along with ensuring it would happen by guaranteeing parliamentary approval, was one that had real attractions.
Some Labour voices do support holding a Referendum and those in favour of the UK’s Membership should not be afraid of giving people their say, history shows they might be pleasantly surprised by the result. It was those opposed to the UK’s membership of the Common Market who pushed for the Referendum in 1975. Hopefully after next year’s General Election a Conservative majority will be able to out vote Labour and the Liberal Democrats to hold one, giving people the chance to settle this issue for a generation, creating the confidence business needs.
A stronger and more confident Labour leader would have taken the chance to take the argument to the public and win a historic referendum endorsement for Britain’s EU membership. Ed’s belief is that by making the statement he did he can talk about other things and play party politics by hoping others will then focus on arguing about Europe alone. Sadly for him, but luckily for the country, he is wrong on all fronts.