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It also puts David Cameron in a difficult position Werthead Send a noteboard - 03/10/2009 09:11:41 PM
You can bet Cameron is on the phone to Prague trying to see what they can do to not ratify the treaty in order to save him from possible extreme embarrassment.

If the Czechs pass the Lisbon Treaty, then Cameron is left with egg on his face, as he cannot pull the UK out of just the treaty after it is ratified. The referendum would have to be a referendum on the entire future of Britain in Europe, which is a debate that the Tories really don't want to get into, as it's an area in which they are weak politically. If the main issue of the election is the economy, the Tories will win handily. If it moves to Europe, the debate could suddenly turn against them (either completely or at least to the point of a hung parliament and a Lib Dem-Labour alliance), lest they be forced into adopting the arguments of UKIP or the BNP, the extremism of which (and much moreso the latter) would probably drive people back to voting for Labour or the Lib Dems.

OTOH, Cameron has promised the people and his party a referendum on the matter. If he turns around at conference this weekend and says "No referendum," (and from the sound of it he won't, instead trying to stall the issue until the Czechs and Poles decide what they want to do) the party will be extremely annoyed, although they probably won't try to replace him this close to the election, and there is no viable alternate candidate, with George Osborne still tarred from the expenses scandal. And of course this gives his opponents ammunition for saying that he is not keeping his promises.

Whichever way this goes, Cameron could be in for some hot water in the coming weeks.
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Ireland accepts Lisbon Treaty - 03/10/2009 02:09:29 PM 1242 Views
A sad sad day for europe - 03/10/2009 02:13:53 PM 711 Views
Please tell me you didn't vote UKIP at least. - 03/10/2009 02:21:38 PM 724 Views
I've voted for them before yes. - 03/10/2009 02:28:31 PM 747 Views
Sigh. - 03/10/2009 02:46:27 PM 794 Views
United States of Europe! Here we come. - 03/10/2009 02:25:16 PM 759 Views
Let's hope you won't, because you most certainly would vote no. - 03/10/2009 02:27:48 PM 714 Views
We don't get a vote, because we would not say the right thing. So fuck democracy. - 03/10/2009 02:29:25 PM 643 Views
So I've just found out on Wikipedia. Craziness. *NM* - 03/10/2009 02:31:04 PM 392 Views
Please explain this to me - 03/10/2009 11:04:32 PM 600 Views
Yes, that's obviously it... - 04/10/2009 12:57:39 AM 985 Views
Why does Tim think No is the right choice? - 03/10/2009 11:02:53 PM 664 Views
She never said that - 03/10/2009 11:22:43 PM 753 Views
Okay, why? - 04/10/2009 12:05:43 AM 614 Views
Hehe - 04/10/2009 10:06:40 AM 653 Views
I'm not sure this is an entirely fair analysis. - 03/10/2009 09:18:31 PM 637 Views
Sort of. - 04/10/2009 02:19:56 AM 740 Views
What would you say is the most important effect and/or overall significance of the treaty? *NM* - 03/10/2009 02:30:29 PM 290 Views
Mostly making the EU less unwieldy. - 03/10/2009 02:37:06 PM 666 Views
Thanks! *NM* - 03/10/2009 02:42:04 PM 303 Views
Why on earth would you want to let Turkey in? - 03/10/2009 04:05:24 PM 729 Views
Several reasons. - 03/10/2009 04:41:59 PM 806 Views
There are a few others. - 03/10/2009 09:03:40 PM 646 Views
I'm sorry, but I don't really see a lot of progress - 04/10/2009 03:16:42 AM 625 Views
Then you aren't looking hard enough. - 04/10/2009 07:20:39 AM 820 Views
It's the old carrot-on-a-stick technique. - 04/10/2009 12:34:08 PM 645 Views
AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *NM* - 03/10/2009 06:15:56 PM 323 Views
What? You're a Eurosceptic American? *NM* - 03/10/2009 09:14:56 PM 301 Views
It also puts David Cameron in a difficult position - 03/10/2009 09:11:41 PM 703 Views
Good point. - 03/10/2009 09:28:03 PM 731 Views
Re: Good point. - 03/10/2009 09:47:58 PM 733 Views
I'm torn and I have some questions - 03/10/2009 10:53:40 PM 834 Views
Re: I'm torn and I have some questions - 04/10/2009 07:45:35 AM 789 Views
hallelujah! - 04/10/2009 09:49:39 PM 735 Views
Indeed. - 05/10/2009 02:00:29 PM 697 Views
I am pleased by this. Here is hoping for an effective elected leader. - 05/10/2009 03:20:36 PM 681 Views
Yeah, that's true... - 05/10/2009 03:42:29 PM 660 Views
So the European parliament will not elect the leader? - 05/10/2009 05:08:25 PM 679 Views
Er, that's news to me... but let's look it up. - 05/10/2009 05:14:09 PM 645 Views
I would have rejected any treaty that would not let me elect a representative or - 05/10/2009 06:14:46 PM 669 Views
Honestly, that would never be on the table. - 05/10/2009 06:37:25 PM 640 Views
So would most of europe. - 05/10/2009 07:22:41 PM 653 Views

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