Campaign news
22/05/08
Campaign News 21 May 2008: Irish Referendum - Send a message
1. Irish referendum - send a
message
As Ireland's voters prepare to go to
the polls on 12 June to give their verdict on the EU's Lisbon Treaty, the Irish
government is intensifying its propaganda campaign. In particular
Irish politicians are increasingly attempting to bully voters into accepting the
Treaty by arguing that it would be a "disaster" if the country voted no and that
it would lead to Ireland being pushed "to the outside" of the EU.
All the polling evidence suggests that these bullying tactics are the
most effective way of them achieving a 'yes' vote on 12 June.
In order to show solidarity with
voters in Ireland I Want a Referendum will be organising a gathering outside the
Irish Embassy on Saturday 31 May. We are just one of the many
groups who will be organising an event on this day across Europe under the
banner of the European Referendum Campaign.
How you can help
At midday on Saturday 31 May we will
be organising a short gathering outside the Irish Embassy in London (17 Grosvenor Place, closet tubes: Hyde Park Corner and
Victoria). We will have a number of Irish, British and EU flags to
hand out, so there will be no need for anyone to bring their own banners or
flags. The aim is to send a message of solidarity to Irish voters,
not to demonstrate about the denial of our referendum here in the UK. Free cans
of Guinness will be available on a first-come-first-served basis.
If you would like to register for
the event please email: Susannah@iwantareferendum.com
If you can't make it to London, one
of the leading Irish no campaigns, Libertas, would love to get pictures of you
with similar home made banners and flags in your back gardens or outside your
local village or town halls. They want to show that there is huge
support for their campaign right across the EU. If you want to take a picture of
you and some friends to demonstrate your support for the Irish no campaign
please email it to info@libertas.org.
2. Government rattled by Stuart
Wheeler's legal challenge; Speaker Martin wastes your money in bid to stop
referendum
The Government has hired one of the
country's most expensive QCs - Jonathan Sumption - to represent it in the
judicial review on the Lisbon Treaty being brought by businessman Stuart
Wheeler. Sumption also represented the Government in the Hutton
Inquiry into the death of David Kelly and is reported to have charged the
Government £800,000 to defend it in a class-action suit brought by Railtrack
shareholders. The decision to hire Sumption shows how seriously
the Government is taking Stuart Wheeler's case and that it is determined to
spend as much of taxpayers' money as necessary to avoid holding the referendum
it promised at the last election.
It has also been reported that House
of Commons Speaker Michael Martin is preparing to launch a legal counter
challenge to Wheeler, arguing that the will of Parliament should not be
overridden in the courts.
How you can help
Many thanks to all of you who so
kindly sent donations to Stuart Wheeler after our last appeal. So
far just over £200,000 has been raised from 400 donors. If you haven't donated
yet but would like to please visit his website: http://www.stuartwheeler.co.uk/
Many thanks for your
support.