Oddly enough, the peoples of Europe do want to be consulted

These are the results of an FT/Haris poll that came out today, and they cannot make easy reading for all those gathering in Brussels next week.

Interestingly the FT talked to two countries that have already ratified (one by referendum, Spain - one by Parliamentary fiat and Italy) and they seem to be generous enough to think that the other three who have not ratified should be allowed a say. Good for them, particularly in the case of Italy.

Of course the Germans cannot have a vote on the Constitution (or whatever they want to call it) because they are not allowed to have a referendum. Oddly it seems that the great EU panjandrum of the FT, George Parker is still of the mind that Germany has ratified, when he must be aware that they haven't. He must be one of those people that when they are told something by a senior Commissioner they believe it. A useful attribute in the bureau chief of the FT in Brussels don't you think?

Anyhow the numbers discovered in the poll are pretty conclusive,

"an FT/Harris poll found strong majorities in big European countries in favour of putting the next phase of EU integration to public votes in countries such as Britain, France, the Netherlands and Poland that did not ratify the original constitution.

A total of 75 per cent of Span­­iards, 71 per cent of Ger­mans, 69 per cent of Britons, 68 per cent of Italians and 64 per cent of French believe the treaty important enough to warrant a referendum".

Of course, the problem is that the Euro elite reside in the tiny minority who think that politicians know best.