Still No2EU - Yes To Democracy

It emails:

The Irish Independent reports that negotiations on Irish 'guarantees' on the Lisbon Treaty are expected to go "to the wire" at tomorrow's EU summit. There is still no political agreement on the legal form the 'guarantees' will take with Britain, Poland and the Netherlands opposing any solution which will require ratifying a protocol with the 'guarantees' through their parliaments.

The alternative to ratifying a protocol is offering Ireland a "decision" issued by EU heads of state and government. Former Danish MEP Jens Peter Bonde said yesterday that a "decision" issued by EU leaders could not change anything in the EU treaties. "It is a creative way of giving people a feeling of legal certainty which does not and cannot exist since only properly ratified EU treaties, with their protocols, can offer binding legal guarantees in EU law."

People's Movement Chairperson Patricia McKenna has accused the Irish government of engaging in a cynical exercise of "political manipulation" by promoting the concept of 'legally binding' Irish 'guarantees'. McKenna, who campaigned against ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in last year's referendum, said that "The so-called 'decision' changes absolutely nothing in the treaties. If it were to change even a single word, then it would have to go through new ratifications in all member states in order to be validated."

She added, "A 'decision' in the summit is not a legally binding document that requires ratification by member states. A common 'declaration' which may express the intentions of today's politicians accompanies it, but it does not stop future politicians from meddling with these 'assurances'".

The Irish Times notes that the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has strongly criticised the draft 'guarantees' offered to Ireland on workers' rights because they do not go far enough.

It goes on:

Labour MP for Glasgow South West Ian Davidson said that the results of the European elections were not solely due to the MPs' expenses scandal, adding "It's perfectly clear that being associated with ever-closer union is toxic and I would have thought the Government would want to take that into account. I don't think the Government's commitment to democratic renewal will be taken seriously until we re-visit the question of a referendum on the European constitution."

Gisela Stuart, Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, criticised the appointment of Glenys Kinnock as Europe Minister, saying "to have a situation where the Europe Minister is not in the Commons, I think it is deeply, deeply unsatisfactory."