No referendum for Britain

Having played the referendum card for the European elections in June, the Tory leader, David Cameron, admitted today that there is no chance of Britain having a referendum. Of course, they hid it behind weasel words, but the reality is obvious.

If Ireland votes No, the Treaty is dead. If Ireland votes Yes, then all that remains is for Poland, Germany and the Czech republic to endorse it before May next year (the likely date of a UK General Election). There is little hope that any of those three countries could hold out long enough for a Tory Government to come into power and hold a referendum.

So the reality is that the Tories will form the next Government in May 2010, in an EU that will probably have had the Lisbon Treaty ratified by all member states and in place for several months. There will be nothing that the Tories can do, especially since their entire intent is to "not let matters rest". I bet the EU leaders are shaking in their boots.

But are the Tories willing to admit that there is nothing that they can do? Of course not; that would be far too honest.