PC 6: Let the People Vote?

[Corgi]

For press comments about a potential Euro referendum. Closing 3rd January at 23:59 GMT.

[Sir Dylan Macmillan]

It has been my pleasure to write an sponsor an Early Day Motion calling for the Government to let the people vote. In a representative democracy such as our own there are some issues that are too big to leave to politicians and the future of our national currency is one of them. I call on the Government to respect the sovereignty of the British people by bringing forth legislation to enact a referendum on whether or not the United Kingdom should use the Euro as our currency.

[Will Frost]

In the latest edition of the Sun, I continued to make the case for why I believe the Conservative Party should be actively advocating for a referendum on the euro. It is my faith in the British people, and my trust in the belief that they want to protect the pound just as much as I do, that makes me confident that a holding a referendum is the best way to settle this debate once and for all. Rather than sitting back and letting Labour dominate the issue, I think it is incumbent upon my party to make the positive case for a referendum and empower the British people to vote to protect our independence.

[Sir Dylan Macmillan]

I welcome the Leader of the Opposition's signature to my EDM calling for a Referendum on the Euro during the lifetime of this Parliament. The nation deserves a chance to voice their opinion and bring certainty to an issue that has been plagued by indecision on the part of the Government for the past four years. This move will only help strengthen our long term economic prospects by bringing an end to the indecision and delay that has plagued the Labour Party on this most crucial issue.

[Will Frost]

While I wish I could share their optimism, I respectfully disagree with those who believe that New Labour have given up their effort to join the single currency. Labour campaigned in 2001 on joining the euro, their Chancellor enthusiastically supports the euro, and Mary MacAndrews refuses to rule out adopting the euro. The only way to prevent New Labour from ditching the pound and handing our sovereignty over to Brussels is to empower the British people to stop them via the ballot box. A referendum does just that. I relish the chance to join the millions of people who will use this referendum as an opportunity to preserve our independence.

[Dame Evelyn Redgrave]

The Conservatives are clear. A referendum is the best way to reject the Euro once and for all.

The British people are the experts in defending our sovereignty and our independence. Time and time again they have rejected Brussels at the ballot box. They turned on Labour in 1999 after Blair and Brown's attempts to introduce the Euro and I'm confident they will reject the Euro again at a referendum.

With a pro-Euro Chancellor, a referendum is the only way to make sure that Anderson and MacAndrews are prevented now and forever from introducing the Euro.

[Brown]

I must point out that the only Members of Parliament who have taken action to replace the pound are, so far, 2 Conservative MPs. Despite the clamors of the Leader of the Opposition, there has been no attempt by this Government to force the UK into the euro and, indeed, these Conservative MPs are the only ones who are taking action that could make adoption of the Euro a reality.

[Sir Jack Anderson]

What would be damaging to the national interest and British public would be joining a single currency we are not prepared to join. I will not rush into a referendum on the euro, potentially changing how Britain’s economy functions forever, because Dylan Macmillan wants to raise his profile beyond the Shadow Chancellor that got away or because William Croft has decided on a whim that’s his party’s policy.

The question will be put to the British people if the time is right to do so, and only then. Right now, the government has no intention to join the euro. So right now, there will be no referendum that will waste people’s time.

[Will Frost]

Jack Anderson is now telling the British people that the Government does not intend to take Britain into the single currency. If that we're the case, Labour wouldn't have campaigned on doing just that in their 2001 election manifesto... but they did.

I don't care if the Chancellor thinks Britain might be ready to join the euro in 5 months or 5 years, I believe that ditching the pound and signing up to the single currency is a bad deal for our country whenever we might choose to do it. The timing will never be right, because adopting the euro isn't the right call for Britain. That is why I want the Government to honor their campaign pledge of holding a referendum on the single currency, so the British people can resoundingly reject adopting the euro and send a clear message to New Labour that they don't want a Government that is prepared to hand over control of our monetary policy to Europe.

[Sir Jack Anderson]

William Croft's article has done nothing but expose how the Conservatives are hopeless divided and incompetent.

The British government already supports a referendum put to the people on whether the United Kingdom should join the European single currency. But it should only be done if the five tests are met. They are not currently met, and I doubt they will be for the foreseeable future, so the government has no plan to put a referendum to the people and risk the United Kingdom being forced into a single currency it is not prepared for. The Conservatives may be so reckless, but I am not.

But let us not forget the Shadow Chancellor said he would resign if William Croft supported a referendum. William Croft confirmed he does - will the Shadow Chancellor be resigning, or will we see more chaos from the Conservative Party that will create uncertainty for business and the economy if the Tories were to get into power again?