The One That Is Delighted With The Irish Throwing Out The Lisbon Treaty. . .

And more power to them, wouldn't it be nice to have a written constitution that demands the consent of the electorate before any changes are made to it?

I'm not going to cover the old argument between the 'it's the same as the EU Constitution', 'no it isn't', 'yes it is' camps.

Have no doubt that had we in the UK had an opportunity to vote on the Lisbon Treaty, the result here would have been exactly the same here as it was in Ireland. I would also imagine that the Dutch and French and no doubt others would have thrown it out. That is the sole reason we've not had the opportunity to pass judgement on it, the government were well aware that they would have lost.

Kudos to Vaclav Klaus the Czech president who has called for ratification of this to be discontinued and brickbats to the French, German and Spanish governments for trying to ride roughshod over the wishes of the Irish people.

There's one thing I don't understand, why are the national governments of Europe so desperate to see more power handed over to Brussels? I just don't get it. I understand why the troughers in the EU Commission want it, they are desperate to control all our lives in some nightmarish Socialist dystopia and to steal as much of our cash as possible whilst they're at it. But why the national governments? I know a large number of MPs are in the game to get as much gravy as they can, but do they not want some modicum of power? It seems to me like employing a man to drive my car, but only when and to where he wants to drive me, it is sheer stupidity.

I want to be close to our neighbours in Europe, I want free movement of trade, goods and people, but that doesn't mean we need to have tax harmonisation, a common foreign policy, the 'Euro-Corps' (HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA) and the all other shite that goes with it, and if we absolutely MUST have this, then give me a vote on Commissioners and the President, give me some audited accounts, a fair and open parliament and at least a pretence of accountability. The ironic thing is that if the EU wanted to join the EU, it wouldn't be allowed to do so because of its economic and democratic practices.

'Do as I say, don't do as I do.' - No I won't. Do as I say: Fuck off.