"Despite what a politician may say in opposition; there are no eurosceptics in government"the news that Friday's vote by the Irish Green party has resulted in the Party not expecting loyalty to the coalition government has got to be a good thing. Hitherto he only party which has opposed the Constitution/Treaty has been Sinn Fein.
Of course none of the elected Green TDs are planning to break the whip, but it does allow those like former MEP Patricia Makenna to campaign freely.After hours of debate, a motion in favour of making support for the treaty party policy fell narrowly short of the two-thirds majority required. Some 63 per cent voted in favour of the motion...
Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley was positive despite the narrow defeat for the motion and said the parliamentary party position had been endorsed.
"This is a historic day for the Green Party. I believe that our conception of, and approach to, Europe has been updated to reflect what our parliamentary party thinks, and what the majority of our councillors and members think...
The Greens have for many years staunchly opposed greater EU powers, with Mr Gormley often in the vanguard. However, as last year's general election approached, with the possibility of entering coalition on the horizon, it began an internal debate on taking a more practical line on Europe.
I wonder what the vote would be amongst the Labour and Lib/Dem party memberships if they would have the courage to ask? I would wager that the result would be the opposite.
1 comment:
I would be only too glad if the EU "reform" treaty wouldn't be ratified - but the more time passes, the more I'm convinced that this is impossible.
I think the people want the nation-states to exist, they want more sovereignty and they want more powers to be retained by their own parliament; and yet their elected leaders are going in the opposite direction.
Post a Comment