Sunday

3rd Dec 2023

Brown holds spectre of referendum over EU

  • A referendum in the UK would probably cause other countries to follow suit (Photo: Wikipedia)

UK prime minister Gordon Brown has indicated that if other EU member states do not fall into line with London's demands on the bloc's new treaty, he would put the issue to a national vote, letting the generally EU-sceptic British public have their say.

"I have already made it clear to Chancellor Merkel, who was chair of the discussions, to [French] President Sarkozy and others that our red lines have got to be adhered to in the detail of the intergovernmental conference," Mr Brown told a monthly press conference on Tuesday (4 September).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"If I were to come to the conclusion that we were not having the detail of what was decided reflected in the final outcome of the declaration then of course I would come back to the British people and say, look, we have to do things differently."

The London threat comes as EU foreign ministers gather at the end of the week for the first political discussion on the treaty since its broad outline was agreed by EU leaders in June.

The June agreement, reached after hours of bitter negotiation, saw London secure key opt-outs from the treaty, including from a citizens rights charter and justice and home affairs policy.

Now that the political dust has settled, technical and legal experts are wondering at the full implications of these opt-outs and how it will affect other member states down the line.

However, Mr Brown cannot be seen to soften on any of these issues. He is being closely watched by opposition conservatives and members of his own labour party who are demanding a referendum, arguing that the new treaty is very similar to the original EU constitution.

The government had previously said it would have a referendum on the constitution.

Mr Brown's case rests on saying that the opt-outs secured by Britain make the treaty sufficiently different.

In the coming days, he will face two big challenges to this position. On Monday (10 September) trade unions will meet for an annual congress. They are pushing for a poll, angry at Britain's opt out from the rights charter, which among other things, secures the right to strike.

Meanwhile, the Labour conference on 23 September will provide a platform for Labour rebels to make their case for a referendum.

Not just the British

But Britain is not alone in causing the EU presidency Portugal - which wants a quick and painless agreement on the treaty - some headaches.

Poland, a similarly tough negotiator, plans to have early elections in October. This may also affect Lisbon's plans to get the whole treaty politically agreed at a meeting of EU leaders next month.

Polish daily Rzeczpospolita reports that Portuguese diplomats are wondering whether to delay the summit because of the elections.

However, a Portuguese spokesman flatly denied the rumour. "I can tell you 'no'. No, that is not true," he told EUobserver, adding that it was something that was not even being considered.

Brussels denies having no 'concern' on Spain's amnesty law

The Spanish government remains secretive about its negotiations with pro-independence Catalans, but claims the EU Commission has "zero concerns" about their proposed amnesty law for Catalan separatists. The EU executive denies that.

Opinion

Dubai's COP28 — a view from the ground

Discussion of the biggest existential threat humanity has ever faced is barely mentioned on billboards or signage in Dubai — yet visitors are made aware quite quickly that t world rugby sevens tournament is imminent.

Opinion

Dubai's COP28 — a view from the ground

Discussion of the biggest existential threat humanity has ever faced is barely mentioned on billboards or signage in Dubai — yet visitors are made aware quite quickly that t world rugby sevens tournament is imminent.

Opinion

'Pay or okay?' — Facebook & Instagram vs the EU

Since last week, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta corporation is forcing its European users to either accept their intrusive privacy practices — or pay €156 per year to access Facebook and Instagram without tracking advertising.

Latest News

  1. Israel's EU ambassador: 'No clean way to do this operation'
  2. Brussels denies having no 'concern' on Spain's amnesty law
  3. Dubai's COP28 — a view from the ground
  4. Germany moves to criminalise NGO search-and-rescue missions
  5. Israel recalls ambassador to Spain in new diplomatic spat
  6. Migrant return bill 'obstructed' as EU states mull new position
  7. Paris and Berlin key to including rape in gender-violence directive
  8. What are the big money debates at COP28 UN climate summit?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  3. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  4. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?
  5. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  6. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us