Press releases
24/01/08
Aberconwy chosen to hold referendum on revised EU Constitution
On the steps of the Senedd in Cardiff Bay this morning, organisers of the Welsh I Want A Referendum campaign announced that the constituency selected to hold the referendum on the revised EU Constitution is Aberconwy, a key marginal seat in both Westminster and Assembly elections, and now the people of Aberconwy have the chance to express their views, and represent the wishes of the majority of Welsh voters.
The sight of the giant inflatable box heralded the launch of the campaign on the Lisbon Treaty, or the EU Constitution by any other name, a fact acknowledged by its architect, former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Now the focus will shift to the North Wales constituency where voters get the chance to speak for the people of Wales in rejecting the rehashed EU Constitution in a referendum.
At today’s launch, I Want A Referendum supporter and North Wales businessman Guto Bebb said: “In a month’s time, the people of Aberconwy will have the chance to show us how the people of Wales would vote on the revised EU Constitution if given the chance. They may call it the Lisbon Treaty, but it is 96% the EU Constitution that has already been rejected by France and the Netherlands.
“We will be working hard on the ground in North Wales over the coming weeks to make sure that people understand the importance of the issue facing us, and how people here are being denied their democratic right to have their say on handing over even greater powers to Europe.
“The Government promised a referendum at the last election, and this is our last chance to vote on such crucial issues as our public services, and retaining our very democracy. It is far from a ‘done deal’, and we should be allowed to stop it when we have the chance. The EU really needs to reform before it is given more powers. If it does not become more democratic, it will fail.”
The majority of Labour, Lib Dem and Conservative voters are in favour of a referendum, and many Labour backbench MPs, some Lib Dem MPs, the TUC and the Green Party are also actively campaigning on the issue. See www.iwantareferendum.com