East of
England campaigners for a referendum on the revised European Constitution will
be launching their campaign on the Millennium Plain, outside the Forum, in with
a giant ballot box, symbolising the wishes of the majority of voters in the
East of England.
The local
media are invited to attend the launch where East of England Chairman, Oliver
Sells QC, and national Chairman, Derek Scott, will be available for interview.
The I want a Referendum campaign has also
announced that they have raised enough money to hold a referendum on the EU
Constitution in the region.
The vote
will take place in , where Bill Rammell,
Minister of State at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, is
the incumbent MP.
The
people of will be asked whether they
think there should be a national referendum on the EU Constitution, now known
as the Lisbon Treaty, as well as whether they think the Treaty should be
adopted.
The vote
in Harlow will be among a wave of referendums in constituencies across the
To carry
out a professional poll East of England for a Referendum has commissioned
Electoral Reform Services – the world’s leading independent ballot
administrator and independent scrutineer.
The
debate on the Treaty is now underway in ,
with the Government hoping to ratify it before the summer. The results of the
referendum in will be presented to
Parliament and form a backdrop to the Government’s attempt to ram the Treaty
through Parliament without a referendum.
Oliver Sells QC, Chairman of East of England for a
Referendum, said:
"All
MPs in the East of England were elected on manifestos which promised a
referendum on the European Treaty. If they don't keep this promise they don't
deserve to be re-elected."
“We
will be working hard on the ground over the coming weeks to make sure that
people understand the importance of the issue facing us. This is a unique
opportunity to really push the debate on the referendum forward and increase
pressure on the Government. We hope that as many people as possible come out to
vote.”
Robert
Halfon, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for ,
said:
“Following
efforts by Colleen Morrison and others I have been lobbying hard for voters to
have a right to vote on the European Constitution.
“Everyone
in Harlow and the surrounding villages has a right to have a vote on the
Referendum and it is a shame that Bill Rammell promised a Referendum at the
last election and has now gone back on his word. The EU constitution will
fundamentally affect our rights and have massive implications on how we deal
with asylum, crime and a host of other areas.
“It is
time to trust the people of Harlow Constituency and let us have a say as to
whether the Government should hold a referendum and whether the EU
Constitution is right or wrong. This is simply a question of
democracy.
Colleen
Morrison, one of the organisers of the campaign in ,
said:
"This
is simply a matter of trust. I'm no expert but what I do know is that if
politicians promise something they should stick to it. Gordon Brown has
absolutely no excuse for not giving us a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. I
believe the people of will seize this
opportunity to make politicians like Bill Rammel listen to us.”
East of
England for a Referendum is part of the national I Want a Referendum campaign, the chairman of which, Derek
Scott, will attend the event.
Mr Scott,
a former economic adviser to Tony Blair, told supporters:
“This is
an issue of trust. Everyone knows that the so-called Lisbon Treaty is virtually
identical to the old EU Constitution that was rejected in Gordon Brown's
attempt to run away from a referendum he is worried he might lose is pure
cowardice."
For
further information, please contact:
Richard Rout on 07711 133 422 or Paul Stephenson
on 07725 610 696.
Notes
to Editors
1. IWR is
a cross-party campaign calling for a referendum on the revived Constitutional
Treaty. The IWR advisory group includes: Derek Scott (chair); Graham
Stringer MP; Gisela Stuart MP; Mike Hancock MP; Frank Field MP; Kate Hoey MP;
Michael Gove MP; David Heathcoat Amory MP; Greg Hands MP; and Nick Herbert MP.
2. For
more information on referendums elsewhere, please contact Paul Stephenson on
0772 561 0696.