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Man takes PM to court over EU Lisbon treaty
11:20am Wednesday 30th January 2008
Comments (30)A delivery driver is taking the Government to court over its refusal to hold a referendum on the controversial EU Lisbon Treaty.
Stuart Bower, from Upper Beeding, near Steyning, is bringing a claim against Prime Minister Gordon Brown to force him to give the British public a vote on what he describes as "the most important issue facing the country today".
The former Labour activist, now a UK Independence Party (UKIP) candidate, said ministers were treating the British public with contempt by failing to honour a commitment made in their 2005 election manifesto.
The Government argues the Reform Treaty, which was signed by heads of state in Lisbon in December and is currently winding its way through Parliament, is different from a previously abandoned treaty - that was rejected by several European states - and therefore does not warrant a vote for ratification.
But Mr Bower, 57, who plans to contest the parliamentary seat of Hove for UKIP at the next election, described the two documents as "same meat, different gravy".
He said: "It almost signs away Britain's status as an independent nation. It sets up a European President, a European foreign office and gives the European Parliament power and authority to impose law on the British people."
Mr Bower wants to force a referendum on the grounds that Mr Brown breached guarantees in the Human Rights Act for free elections.
He explained: "I want Gordon Brown to honour his promise to give the British people their referendum."
The first hearing, before a district judge at Brighton County Court, is scheduled for February 7. The Prime Minister will be represented by official Government solicitors.
Do you agree with Mr Bower? Tell us below
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hove man, Hove says...
11:48am Wed 30 Jan 08
Peter, Upper Beeding says...
11:54am Wed 30 Jan 08
What a shame that the courts service is being used to deal with matters which belong in Parliament. When you think that the Courts should be dealing with criminals and offenders, not wasting it on this man's huge ego.
Matt, Nr Steyning says...
11:56am Wed 30 Jan 08
Pete, Saltdean says...
12:26pm Wed 30 Jan 08
steve, brighton says...
12:41pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Kickboxer, Worthing says...
12:41pm Wed 30 Jan 08
andy, Upper Bleeding says...
12:58pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Paul, Worthing says...
1:06pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Frankly I don't know why the Gov't are so scared of knowing what the people think on this one.
Paddy, Bleeding hell says...
1:12pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Why bother?
Total vanity exercise froma cheap publicity seeker.
Courts have been things to be doing with their time.
bob, worthing says...
1:39pm Wed 30 Jan 08
David, Hove says...
1:51pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Rick H, Hove says...
2:02pm Wed 30 Jan 08
1. This is a self-publiscing effort from a attention-hungry Euro-sceptic political party that is currently busy tearing itslef apart;
2. Having studied both the failed 'Constitutional' Treaty (and if there was a misnomer, there's one) and the Lisbon Treaty, it is my (note this word) professional view that they are sufficiently different to be regarded as two seperate legal documents;
3. UK has secured a number of opt-outs - those red-line issues that will not apply to the UK ie immigration, scertain aspects of social policy and further economic integration. In other words, all those things that the UK didn't like about the previous treaty are now gone!
4. Don't beleive in everything you read in the media - this current 'anti-Europe' atmosphere is largely as a result of Mr Murdoch and his cronies ie an Australian having wat to much say in the runnig of this country;
5. Parliament is the model of 'respresentative' democracy - MPs have our delegated authority to act on our behalf - thus no democractic rights have lost or otherwise ignored;
6. manifesto pledges are broken all the time - show me a Conservative or other government that didn't break a manifesto pledge; and
7. Did you know that this (and the previous) treaty contain a section whereby EU citizens can petition and force the Commission to put legisalative proposals to the European Parliament. In other words, the 'people' can set an agenda rather than the politicos; and
8. There are two real reasons why this government won't hold a referendum - the first I've covered ie there is no reason to and the second is typified in the comments above ie it wouldn't be a vote on the treaty but a chance to vote on the government before the next general election.
It strikes me that the above comments, and many others made on other websites, are made without a true undertsanding of just how the EU actually works. And the one good thing that the EU has actually managed to achieve. The very fact that my father's, my own and hopefully each following one hasn't had to go die in a muddy hole somwehere in the middle of France. Now, for me, that's a reall boon!
steve, brighton says...
2:11pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Marc, Brighton says...
2:15pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Clive Graham, Seven Dials says...
2:24pm Wed 30 Jan 08
David, Brighton says...
2:42pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Ken, Bucks says...
2:48pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Trevor, Brighton says...
3:20pm Wed 30 Jan 08
There's much I admire about the EU and a number of more disturbing elements. Among the latter, the accounts haven't been signed off for more than a decade - the auditors can't be sure how much of our money is being wasted and defrauded.
Also, if we don't like the government we can vote them out. In the EU we can't do that. It's fundamentally undemocratic.
Still, if Brown doesn't hold the referendum promised in Labour's manifesto, I'll join the many others who will vote tactically next time to get Labour out, having been deluded by their promises (the other irritating one relating to tuition fees).
Steven, HOVE says...
3:36pm Wed 30 Jan 08
1. its NOT in either the magistrates court or the Crown so will have NO impact on day to day courts.
2. if a mugger gets off with a slap on the wrist could that not be classed as a waste of everyones time?
GOOD LOOK TO THE CHAP, an unelected PM (yes I know in the UK we do not elect an PM but some vote for the party not the person standing) is not the person for the job.
Frank, Hove 3 says...
3:44pm Wed 30 Jan 08
PS you all might as well agree because thats what your going to get anyway - ha ha
Here, There says...
4:19pm Wed 30 Jan 08
XYZ, Brighton says...
5:13pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Here wrote:Er...you mean the Tory MP. Although politically I would tend to agree that the Labour Party and therefore its MPs are effectively Tories.
<b> Did you see the report about the Labour MP who used his two sons and said they were working for him? They took over £50,000 in public money, how many more MP's do the same?? Why are they not charged with fraud??</b>
Rick H, Hove says...
6:19pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Ken wrote:My personal political views aren't being called into doubt here nor should they be; I'm not the one instigating a court case - I'm merely stating facts, as I see them as someone who isn't beholden to the bastardised output of the anti-Europe press and its henchmen - unlike them, I deal in facts, not fiction! The Union operates on two levels - intergovernmental (ie with individual state vetoes) and supranational (where indivdual sovereignty is collectively controlled by all members) - thus the EU isn't a federal anything - its a unique political animal and one that has no parallel so far in history. And as for the 'region' thing, you're labouring under a misunderstanding. The issue of regions is to recognise that the nation state is an artificial concept of the late 19th C and created by the dominate ethnic group at the time of creation eg The 'English' being dominant over the Welsh, Scots and Irish. The majority of wars in the 19th & 20th Cs were driven by natioalistic aims - the Balkans being a point in case (and the only exception to the having been no war in Europe since 1945 - a point I concede). The use of regions in a multi-layered governance structure allows individuals to assume and adopt mulitple identities that transcend the national. For example - I can claim to be a Londoner, a Southerner, English, British and European. The aim to be that idetities can be trans-national and foster the ideas that we are all equal and yet recognise our differences. Bit like the European motto that was axed in the new treaty 'Strength Through Diversity'. For refernce, there are several regions in the UK - the regions are generally used for allocating social funds under the EU's general Development and Regional fudning programmes.
It does make you wonder at Rich H political agenda and leaning. Basically we are now signing up to a future more controlling EU, you only have to see how this country is divided up as far as the EU is concerned, we are seen as simply a region and not a country. The real issue is that there are in fact many, many similarities between the new and old document. It the old old story take a bit at a time and nobody will realise how much is being given away. You can see the same thing with various sales techniques, get a person to agree to a small point, that can lead on to another slightly bigger one and so on until before you know it you have agreed to what the salesman wanted in the end, the big yes. Just look at the little steps that are being taken to remove any control of our own laws that have led to more of a give away of our rights.
JOHNBOY, brighton says...
7:00pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Boudicca, Watling Street says...
12:11am Thu 31 Jan 08
You seem to be an authority on this complex political treaty; however I would like to compare your probably well intentioned ramblings to what Michael Connarty said.
You will know him, he is the Labour MP appointed by HMG as Chairman of the all-party European Scrutiny Committee. He said (just to recap) that the EU Reform Treaty paves the way for a massive and fundamental shift of power to Europe. He is a PRO European by the way!!!!!
Thank you and goodnight.
By the way the Govt are bypassing Parliament as per usual and have cut the length of debating time; compare that to the time spent debating fox hunting and we can all see why the country is in such a mess.
Rayatcov, Coventry says...
10:30am Thu 31 Jan 08
'Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere and diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.'
Rick H, Hove says...
12:11pm Fri 1 Feb 08
Boudicca wrote:An interesting point - maybe you could explain if he made those comments as the Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee (and maybe reference which of their reports this statement was made) or if it was made as an view expressed in his capacity as an MP - kinda makes a difference, don't you think?
Rick H you have a lot to say about this subject; and all of its sounds like \'newspeak\'. You seem to be an authority on this complex political treaty; however I would like to compare your probably well intentioned ramblings to what Michael Connarty said. You will know him, he is the Labour MP appointed by HMG as Chairman of the all-party European Scrutiny Committee. He said (just to recap) that the EU Reform Treaty paves the way for a massive and fundamental shift of power to Europe. He is a PRO European by the way!!!!! Thank you and goodnight. By the way the Govt are bypassing Parliament as per usual and have cut the length of debating time; compare that to the time spent debating fox hunting and we can all see why the country is in such a mess.
Odd that you regard my comments as 'newspeak' - I'd regard the rabid Europhobic comments in Mr M's publications more deserving of such a title!
wayne, birmingham says...
11:01pm Wed 6 Feb 08
They also will not be affected by any of the draconian laws and surveillance tactics of a Euro Superstate, which in my opinion is Communism by the back door and is likely to strip all hard working law abiding people of further liberties in the future!
We should ALL, ALL, ALL OF US get behind this man and all make our voices heard before these lying scumbags in their second houses (which we pay for) sell us well and truly down the river.Write to your MP whatever party he.she is in remind them they are our servants not the other way around!!
john cross, birmingham says...
3:32pm Wed 27 Feb 08
of 646 mp's 638 stood on the basis of a manifesto commitment for a referendum. four
mp's back a referendum, frank field, kate hoey
gisela stuart and graham stringer. so what is
gordon brown afraid of by trying to gag them,
what has happened to freedom of speach?
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steve, britain says...
11:47am Wed 30 Jan 08