Britain and the EU Referendum

The Coalition Government Refuses a Referendum on the EU

Calls for Referendum on the EU

Many people in Britain are asking for an EU referendum, and opinion polls show that the number of people who would vote for Britain leaving the European Union is a lot higher than those who would vote in favour of staying in. A Sky News opinion poll on 24 October 2011 shows that 84% of people believe that it is time for a referendum on the EU.

This is in stark contrast with the stance taken by the majority of the British Parliament, which on 24 October 2011 voted overwhelmingly against a referendum, with 483 votes contrary to a referendum and 111 votes in favour. The Commons debate was in response to a petition signed by more than 100,000 people asking for a referendum on the EU.

David Cameron and the EU

The British Prime Minister has claimed on a number of occasions to be open to debate on British membership of the European Union, while at the same time suffocating any debate on the issue.

Mr. Cameron has been dedicating full support to EU expansion, as can be seen in a joint declaration which he released on 7 June 2011 together with Romania's President Traian Basescu: “We have agreed today on a programme of joint work between our two countries to promote economic growth in the European Union, to enlarge it to the Western Balkans, Turkey and the Republic of Moldova...”

Leading up to the vote in Parliament whether to have a referendum - the vote is due on the 24 October 2011 - David Cameron said: “I think this is the right time to sort out Europe's problems, sort out the Eurozone problem, defend your national interest and look to the opportunities in the future to repatriate powers back to Britain.”

Britain Solving Europe's Problems

According to the British Prime Minister David Cameron, the calls for a democratic vote concerning Britain's future should not be taken into account. He would rather sacrifice British democracy and prosperity in order to sort out Europe's problems and the problems of the Eurozone, of which Britain is not a member. He intends doing this by sacrificing British sovereignty and using massive amounts of the taxpayers' money, while the British people at home are forced into ever greater poverty.

At the same time, Mr. Cameron is involved in expanding the EU to eight more countries: Moldova, Turkey and six countries in the western Balkans. It seems that the Prime Minister is irrevocably dedicated to a great European state and is prepared to bleed Britain to death in order to achieve his aim.