The Democracy Movement: Media Comment

Press releases from the Democracy Movement. Click on the headlines below to view the press release.

6 March 2008	MPs reject a referendum - DM comments A majority of MPs have voted against a referendum on the re-named EU Constitution Treaty, despite having promised one at the last election. The DM has announced the launch of an 'Integrity Fund' to finance campaigning in constituencies to highlight the promise-breakers between now and the next election ...
5 March 2008	Seven Lib Dem front-benchers confront Clegg over referendum vote Nick Clegg's threat to sack members of his front-bench team who defy his policy on a referendum lay in tatters last night, as it emerged that at least seven of them plan to support calls for a public vote on the Lisbon Treaty...
28 January 2008	MPs vote to cut time for EU treaty debate in half Shortly after signing the treaty reviving the EU Constitution in Lisbon, Gordon Brown said that he wanted the document scrutinised in the "fullest possible parliamentary debate". However, at a vote in Parliament yesterday evening, a majority of MPs have approved a government plan to cut the originally suggested 20-25 days for treaty debate in half, down to just 12 days...
13 December 2007	Over 130 MPs at risk from EU referendum backlash Pressure mounted on Gordon Brown as he signs the re-named EU Constitution treaty today, as a new website revealed that over 130 MPs - more than 100 of whom are Labor - risk losing their seats from a public backlash if they don't honour their manifesto promises to hold a referendum. The site has been launched as part of a ...
17 November 2007	MPs branded 'hypocrites' over EU rebate vote More than 125 MPs - including several cabinet ministers and many MPs in marginal seats - have been branded 'hypocrites' over a looming vote in Parliament on Britain's EU rebate. On Monday, MPs will vote to approve a deal that involves handing an extra £7bn to the EU, while facing public service cuts in their own constituencies...
9 October 2007	Commons committee: 'Reform treaty' is really Constitution - DM comment The House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee - which has a Labour majority and chairman - has published its analysis of the EU's so-called Reform Treaty. The report has concluded that the treaty is "substantially equivalent" to the Constitution that was supposedly laid to rest by the overwhelming 'No' votes in France and Holland in 2005 ...
21 June 2007	Brown faces Commons defeat on EU Constitution Treaty without pledge of referendum A survey of MPs revealed today shows 42 Labour MPs supported a referendum on the EU Constitution before Tony Blair U-turned to promise one. If just 34 stick to their view over the revived treaty, Gordon Brown will not have the majority necessary to ratify the treaty without first reviving his original promise of a public vote...
8 December 2006	Brown's pre-budget report - DM response Gordon Brown this week published his pre-budget report. We look at eight specific spending pledges made in the context of the £115 million Tony Blair has promised the EU from 2007 and expose the real priorities behing the rhetoric ...
24 October 2006	EU audit failure for 12th year - DM comment The EU Court of Auditors has today published the result of their audit of the EU's 2005 accounts, and once again refused to certify the accounts as legal and reliable. More details, and DM campaign director Marc Glendening comments...
16 December 2005	DM condemns EU budget deal Tony Blair has pledged still further cuts to Britain's EU rebate in today's budget talks, in return for just the possibility of 'reform later' to the EU's costly Common Agricultural Policy. Marc Glendening, DM campaign director comments...
26 October 2005	EU leaders to miss elephant in the room at Hampton Court Democracy campaigners will stage an eye-catching stunt at the Hampton Court EU summit on Thursday, to highlight the failure of EU leaders to recognise and respond to the EU's fundamental flaws....
2 June 2005	French & Dutch reject EU Constitution: DM comment The Dutch people yesterday joined the French in rejecting the EU Constitution by a large majority - 61.6%. Marc Glendening, DM campaign director comments...
24 May 2005	Introduction of the European Union Bill: DM comment Jack Straw has today introduced the bill in the House of Commons that will give effect to the EU Constitution, subject to a national referendum. Marc Glendening, DM campaign director comments...
12 April 2005	CRE chairman accused of 'gross hypocrisy' Trevor Phillips, chairman of the CRE, has been accused of 'gross hypocrisy' by the Democracy Movement for publicly condemning politicians who potentially fuel the flames of racism while, simultaneously, refusing to act against Europe Minister Denis MacShane who has made an overtly racist comment...
8 April 2005	Sacked EU chief accountant to kick-off UK campaign for a 'No' to the EU Constitution Marta Andreasen, the European Commission's former chief accounting officer sacked by Neil Kinnock for revealing the scale of EU fraud, will be the keynote speaker at a major international rally against the EU Constitution taking place Saturday 9th April. Tony Benn will open proceedings...
26 January 2005	EU Referendum Bill won't Stop the Cheating The new EU Constitution Referendum Bill is designed to maximise the government's ability to cheat in the run up to the vote. It does nothing to create a level-playing field to stop the abuse of public money to secure a 'yes' vote. DM director Russell Walters says....
9 September 2004	Straw dodges honest debate on EU changes Jack Straw has today made a statement in the House of Commons on the EU Constitution, and has published a White Paper. Reacting to the Foreign Secretary's statement, DM campaign director Marc Glendening said..
21 June 2004	Blair claims 'victory' over Constitution he didn't want Tony Blair has today made a statement in the House of Commons on the outcome of negotiations over the EU Constitution. Reacting to the Prime Minister's statement, DM campaign director Marc Glendening said...
14 June 2004	Euro elections victory for less integration The result of the elections to the European Parliament demonstrates a clear rejection of Tony Blair's aim to centralise yet more powers in Brussels by signing the EU Constitution this week....
19 April 2004	Democracy Movement welcomes Blair's U-turn on EU Constitution vote. The Democracy Movement, the biggest grassroots EU-critical campaign with 320,000 signed-up supporters, welcomes Tony Blair's U-turn on directly consulting the people on the EU Constitution...
19 January 2004	Prodi defies Blair and hails an EU Constitution referendum as 'a fantastic idea'. Speaking to the London School of Economics, EU Commission president Romano Prodi has defied Tony Blair's refusal to hold an EU Constitution referendum by hailing the idea of a referendum in every EU member state as 'a fantastic idea'.
12 November 2003	Blair's majority crumbles over EU Constitution referendum A new survey of MPs views on an EU Constitution referendum shows that half the number of Labour MPs needed to force a referendum on the EU Constitution have already committed themselves to rebel. The Democracy Movement survey has found that referendum supporters and declared undecideds already outnumber those intending to vote the Government line in the House of Commons....
9 September 2003	Government accused of obscuring true magnitude of EU constitution The government today published a White Paper setting out its 'red lines' on transfers of power to the EU in the proposed EU Constitution. Critics accused the government of trying to obscure the true implications of the EU Constitution by refusing to treat it the same way as they treated the single currency...
9 June 2003	Euro: The time can never be right Gordon Brown finally delivered his assessment of the government's five economic tests for euro membership in the House of Commons today. In his speech, Mr Brown confirmed that four of the five tests had not been met.