You can't, but that won't stop them, because the Lib Dems are the most shameless (in a crowded field) of political parties who will say anything to garner a few votes, only to abandon or propose the exact opposite policy if that is politically expedient at some time in the future. This is just a particularly egregious example of the genre - Cameron's promise of an EU referendum on the Lisbon Treaty is a similar one.
pIt's said (and I have no reason to doubt this) that the leaflet dates to earlier than the General Election - (2008 is mentioned, although given Lisbon Treaty still a live issue in the last Euro elections, so possibly 2009.)
It does seek (not particularly well, granted) to draw a distinction between offering an in/out referendum rather than on a specific treaty as was being proposed elsewhere... - and does seem to lack qualification and context.
Following ratification of Lisbon, then the referendum became a moot point - and manifesto commitment became government policy and law: a referendum next time there's a significant change.
You can't, but that won't stop them, because the Lib Dems are the most shameless (in a crowded field) of political parties who will say anything to garner a few votes, only to abandon or propose the exact opposite policy if that is politically expedient at some time in the future. This is just a particularly egregious example of the genre - Cameron's promise of an EU referendum on the Lisbon Treaty is a similar one.
ReplyDeletepIt's said (and I have no reason to doubt this) that the leaflet dates to earlier than the General Election - (2008 is mentioned, although given Lisbon Treaty still a live issue in the last Euro elections, so possibly 2009.)
ReplyDeleteIt does seek (not particularly well, granted) to draw a distinction between offering an in/out referendum rather than on a specific treaty as was being proposed elsewhere... - and does seem to lack qualification and context.
Following ratification of Lisbon, then the referendum became a moot point - and manifesto commitment became government policy and law: a referendum next time there's a significant change.
Stephen Tall has more on this, here:
http://www.libdemvoice.org/the-surprising-truth-about-that-lib-dem-inout-eu-referendum-leaflet-32686.html