Caroline Flint - not read Lisbon Treaty

by Craig Chapman and quotes from Tory websites - 11:48 on 06 April 2009

The UK's Europe Minister Caroline Flint admits she has not read the Lisbon Treaty.

Caroline Flint, the Minister for Europe, made a stunning admission in the House of Commons yesterday - that she has not read the Lisbon Treaty. During a European Committee session, the following exchange (not yet online) took place between the Minister and Mark Francois, her Tory shadow:

"Mr Francois: Given that the treaty is integral to the documents we are debating this afternoon, I am a little surprised at the continuing vagueness of the Minister's answer. This is a really simple question: has the Minister read the elements of the Lisbon treaty that relate to defence?

Caroline Flint: I have read some of it but not all of it.

Mr Francois: What!

Caroline Flint: I have been briefed on some of it.

Mr Francois: That is an extraordinary answer. The Minister for Europe has not read all of the Lisbon treaty. That is an absolutely extraordinary revelation. It is a bit like the Irish Prime Minister saying that he had not read it before the referendum. That is an incredible answer. If she is Minister for Europe, why has she not read the treaty?"

The Lisbon Treaty provides for: a new EU president; an EU foreign minister and EU diplomatic service; the European Court of Justice having jurisdiction over key elements of criminal legislation (including arrests and sentencing); more powers for Europol; the EU setting uniform standards for asylum seekers; legally binding status for the Charter of Fundamental Rights; the abolition of national vetoes and new areas where no veto will apply; and a ratchet clause allowing the EU to abolish any non-defence national veto without a new Treaty.

Caroline Flint may not have read the Treaty, but she has offered opinion on it readily:

"I believe that the Lisbon treaty is good for the United Kingdom and good for Europe."

"The Lisbon treaty provides a simpler, more streamlined EU."

(Both House of Commons, 13 October 2008.)

Popular Alliance comment :-

What many people overlook is that reading the Lisbon Treaty is a pointless exercise. It is simply endless pages of updates, omitting the details that previously existed. As a stand alone paper, it is groundless. Popular Alliance also question whether Mr Francois has read it all either.

The EU refuses to publish a concise document, including what has been updated to where, because it would then become the official EU Constitution again. Keeping them apart keeps people in Brussels in jobs and out of court. We doubt very many people have read the entire Lisbon Treaty because it concerns so many referrals into endless individual papers and documents, that each require specialist inside and historic knowledge on an endless array of subjects, the reading of which would drastically reduce time available for filling in expense claim forms. This paragraph is almost like a "Yes Minister" tirade, in that the more confusing they make things, the less people will hopefully bother to check up on them.

One Danish MEP who campaigned in Ireland for their "NO" vote has given a very good speech on this matter, which is available on You Tube.

It is very similar to buying a computer update programme, that gets your previous (eg) Windows 97 up to (eg) Windows Vista levels, for a cheaper price than buying the Vista programme outright. They have updated endless existing treaties and details to form the EU Constitution, without half the hassle of actually asking anyone in Britain if they want it.

Caroline Flint is undoubtedly many things unpleasant, but she is no different to rest of the toads around her. None of them have a clue what they have signed us up to, especially given the number of times they have made statements that have later been withdrawn or U-turned, once they find out that they are no position to correct our EU masters, no matter how incredibly stupid their rulings. 

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