Peter Mandelson Selling Briton Out Again: Call To Revive European The Constition

[Don Rizzle]

First he calls to scrap the rebate now he wants to revive the constitution what the fuck is up with this cracker?


Mandelson's EU constitution call
The controversial EU constitution which was rejected in 2005 after votes in France and the Netherlands should now be revisited says Peter Mandelson.
The ex-Labour Cabinet minister who is now EU trade commissioner said there was a need to create new institutions to accommodate an expanding Europe.

Mr Mandelson said the rejected version was a "very good basis" for EU reform.

But he acknowledged that "in the eyes of many" it did not provide a solution to enlargement.

The French and Dutch 'no' votes last year effectively killed off the constitution treaty.

That meant Tony Blair did not have to go ahead with a UK referendum on the constitution plans.

No rush to embrace

Mr Mandelson told BBC News: "As we enlarge Europe - and I think we should do for the political benefits... then we have to create rules, we have to create institutions that accommodate a growing population and a growing number of member states.

"I think the present constitutional treaty in the eyes of many does not provide a solution. It was a very good basis and in many respects it has ideas proposed that we should not lose sight of."

"But I don't think people are ready to adopt, let alone rush to embrace, at this stage."

In June 2005 EU leaders agreed to have a "period of reflection" before deciding what to do next in the wake of the constitution's rejection by voters in France and the Netherlands.

East Midlands Tory Euro MP Chris Heaton-Harris criticised Mr Mandelson's comments, saying the constitution was "categorically rejected" by the French and Dutch and "several other countries including Britain would have rejected it too".

"What part of 'no' does Peter Mandelson not understand? Mr Mandelson's calls for more rules, regulations and expensive institutions just goes to show how much more out of touch he has become since moving to Brussels," he said.

"Most people in Britain want the European Union to be doing less, not more."

A spokesman for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), which favours Britain's withdrawal from the EU, said parts of the rejected constitution had been introduced "piecemeal" into European rules despite the French and Dutch 'no' votes.

"It doesn't matter what you call it, a constitution is a constitution."

'Immense benefits'

The constitution cannot come into effect unless it is ratified by all 25 EU members. This means that if it is ever to be resurrected, France and the Netherlands will have to vote again. This is not likely until after the elections which are due in both countries in 2007.

Meanwhile Austria, which holds the revolving EU presidency for the six months until July, has been charged with stimulating a discussion about what to do with the consitution plans.

Mr Mandelson is due to address an audience in Romania on Thursday to launch the expansion of a central European free trade agreement.

"It's holding the prospect of joining the EU that will bring political stability but also bring immense economic benefits," he said.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_politics/4882332.stm