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Topic: British referendum on EU constitution

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	Referendum - Encyclopedia.WorldSearch (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		This may be the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy.
		A further perceived flaw of the referendum is that in some circumstances the democratic spirit of the referendum may be flouted by the repeated submission to the referendum of a proposal until it is eventually endorsed, perhaps due to a low turn-out or public fatigue with the issue.
		As of 2004 the British government is currently committed to holding a UK-wide referendum on the new EU Constitution, as well as on any plan to adopt the euro as the UK's currency or to change from 'first past the post' to an alternative electoral system.
	encyclopedia.worldsearch.com /referendum.htm (2507 words)

	United Kingdom referendum on the European Constitution - Wikipedia
		On April 20, 2004, the British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced in the House of Commons that Britain would hold a referendum on its ratification of the proposed Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe when it was agreed by the European Council.
		This is the way the EU itself tends to describe it, as a consolidation of existing treaties, but this assertion is rejected by Eurosceptics.
		This treaty conferred many new competences on the Union, something that the new constitution does not do; this has led to some commentators arguing that it is inconsistent to demand a referendum on the constitutional treaty when one was not held on the Maastricht treaty.
	en.wikipedia.org /wiki/British_referendum_on_EU_constitution (1625 words)

	Tony Blair article - Tony Blair 1997 John Major 1953 Edinburgh Scotland Political Party Labour - What-Means.com (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		Subsequently, thousands of British troops were deployed to assist with the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
		In April 2004, Blair announced in the House of Commons that a referendum would be held on the ratification of the future EU Constitution.
		This represents a significant change in British politics (the last referendum, which took place in 1975, was on whether Britain should remain in the EU) and a dramatic U-turn for Blair.
	www.what-means.com /encyclopedia/Tony_Blair (4137 words)

	The World Factbook 2004 -- Field Listing - Background
		A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British monarch to an independent republic, was defeated in 1999.
		Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs.
		First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed.
	www.brainyatlas.com /fields/2028.html (15472 words)

	USATODAY.com - Blair announces referendum on EU constitution (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		British Prime minister Tony Blair waves as he leaves to deliever a speech on Britain's possible referendum on the new EU constitution.
		Blair said some critics had falsely claimed the EU would be renamed the United States of Europe, that the queen would be replaced as head of state, that Britain would be unable to declare war without the permission of Brussels, or that it would lose its U.N. Security Council seat.
		A referendum on the constitution would be the first nationwide poll since 1975, when Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson consulted the public on Britain's continued membership in what was then the European Common Market.
	www.usatoday.com /news/world/2004-04-20-britain-eu_x.htm (912 words)

	Blair goes for referendum on EU constitution -DAWN - International; 21 April, 2004
		With opinion polls showing Britons are highly wary of closer integration with the EU, one senior politician in the bloc accused Mr Blair of putting domestic politics before the interests of the Union and endangering the constitution.
		Mr Blair told parliament his Labour government was ready to do battle in a referendum with the opposition Conservatives, who oppose an EU constitution as a threat to Britain's sovereignty.
		Previously Mr Blair had said a constitution, likely to be sealed by EU leaders at a summit in June, would not fundamentally alter Britain's ties with the bloc and therefore public approval would not be needed.
	www.dawn.com /2004/04/21/int6.htm (393 words)

	EUbusiness - Blair, in big U-turn, promises British referendum on EU constitution (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		About a half-dozen of the 15 current and 10 enlargement EU candidate countries are expected to hold referendums on the constitution as part of its nation-by-nation ratification.
		He also said he believed the constitution, based on the stacks of treaties on which the EU is built, and unlikely to take effect until 2007, would not rob Britain of its sovereignty, or alter its relationship with Brussels.
		But he said that so many "myths" are circulating about the constitution that it deserves to be subjected to a full and proper debate culminating with a referendum.
	www.eubusiness.com /afp/040420154025.lxtkl7d3 (686 words)

	CIA - The World Factbook -- Field Listing - Background (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783.
		Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution.
		An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gives member states two years to ratify the document before it is scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006.
	www.phatnav.com /factbook/fields/2028.html (16146 words)

	iafrica.com \| news \| world news British referendum on EU constitution
		Speaking in the House of Commons, Blair said the constitution — due to be approved in principle by EU leaders in June — will first be debated in detail by parliament.
		In a defiant tone, Blair said that while the referendum, long sought by eurosceptics including the main opposition Conservatives, would be on the constitution, "the implications go far wider".
		Those demands are no longer seen within the European Union as obstacles to agreeing the constitution at the upcoming EU summit in June.
	iafrica.com /news/worldnews/317239.htm (483 words)

	EUbusiness - EU's Patten blasts idea of British referendum on EU constitution (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten strongly criticised Friday the idea of Britain holding a referendum on an EU constitution as the bloc's leaders gathered in Brussels to resolve outstanding differences on the matter.
		p> EU leaders on Friday opened a crunch summit aimed at hammering out a first-ever constitution for the bloc as it expands from 15 to 25 members next year.
		Britain's best-selling Sun daily launched a ferocious attack on the constitution Friday, and renewed its demand that Blair allows British voters a referendum on the constitution, a move he has consistently ruled out.
	www.eubusiness.com /afp/031212094636.po5t498r/view (271 words)

	RTE News - Blair confirms EU constitution referendum (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		However, he indicated that any agreement between the EU member states later this year would have to respect Britain's sovereignty on issues such as taxation, foreign policy, social security and defence.
		Mr Blair told MPs the electorate should be asked for its opinion on the EU constitution once parliament had debated it.
		He said he wants to use the referendum campaign to debate the realities of Britain's relationship with the EU rather than what he described as the myths.
	www.rte.ie /news/2004/0420/eu (225 words)

	BBC NEWS \| Politics \| Blair confirms EU constitution poll
		A referendum on a constitution would be the first major gauge of public opinion on the EU since the 1975 referendum on whether Britain should stay in the Common Market.
		The prime minister spent much of his statement attacking the "myths" surrounding the EU constitution, such as the Queen being removed as head of state or Britons being forced to drive on the right.
		He said the new treaty, needed because of the EU's enlargement from 15 to 25, would be agreed to by the government if it embodied the British position.
	news.bbc.co.uk /1/hi/uk_politics/3640949.stm (819 words)

	EUbusiness - Britain in the EU (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		2004-11-23 13:34:47 The British government is to introduce legislation paving the way for a referendum on the European Union constitution, Queen Elizabeth II said Tuesday in her annual speech to parliament.
		British trade mission in Cuba ahead of key EU meeting
		British referendum on EU constitution 'early 2006': Straw
	www.eubusiness.com /topics/UK/index_html?b_start:int=300 (837 words)

	British MPs for referendum on EU constitution - Sify.com (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		During debate in the Commons, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw insisted that the constitution text hammered out in negotiations with the governments of the other 24 EU member states was a good deal for Britain.
		Ministers face a long and bruising battle ahead of the promised referendum, which will not be called until after the general election and is most likely to take place in the spring of 2006.
		A poll of 1,000 British business leaders conducted by the Institute of Directors, released on Wednesday, found that only one in three were prepared to sign up to the constitution.
	sify.com /news/fullstory.php?id=13667870 (627 words)

	British Referendum on EU-Treaty, Außenstelle London, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.
		The poll is not expected to be held till after the next General Election which is expected in 2005, and some pro-European campaigners believe the talk of a referendum is “a tactical decision to stop; losing votes in the June European elections, rather than a strategy for Britain’s relationship with Europe”, the BBC News writes.
		Asked: “If Europe’s leaders do agree on a new constitution for the EU, who should decide whether Britain signs it?” 83 per cent answered that the decision should be made by the people in a referendum, only 10 per cent placed the decision-making with the Parliament.
		It is, however, essential that Parliament should scrutinise the constitution before it is put to the people.
	www.kas.de /proj/home/home/28/1/webseite_id-1765/index.html (412 words)

	Quotes on the EU, European Constitution & Referendum
		In 1997, when the EU Constitution was just a twinkle in a Europhile dinner party's eye, Tony Blair thought he was immortal and could sell the British pubic anything.
		May 2003, when the Constitution was becoming a reality, and it had become obvious that the country wouldn't swallow it.
		Dutch MP Renee van der Linden, addressing the European Parliament's constitutional affairs committee in March 2003, the week after 190 people were killed and approximately 1400 injured by the terrorists outrage at Atocha station.
	www.liebreich.com /LDC/HTML/Europe/05-Constitution.html (1118 words)

	JURIST - Paper Chase: British government unveils referendum on EU Constitution
		Jeannie at 1:37 PM ET [JURIST] British Foreign Minister Jack Straw [official profile] Wednesday unveiled the question voters will be asked in an upcoming referendum on the EU Constitution [official website]: Should the United Kingdom approve the treaty establishing a Constitution for the European Union?" Presenting the referendum text to Parliament, Straw said:
		Read Straw's statement, his brief on The Patriotic Case for the EU Constitution, and the European Union Bill [PDF text; additional background from the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office].
		Other parties in favor of the Constitution echo Straw's sentiments that rejecting the EU Constitution will isolate Britain and could lead to the UK being forced to leave the EU.
	jurist.law.pitt.edu /paperchase/2005/01/british-government-unveils-referendum.php (555 words)

	Blair hints British EU constitution referendum off if French say no
		LONDON - British Prime Minister Tony Blair suggested Wednesday that there would not be a referendum in Britain on the proposed European constitution if French voters turn it down in their plebiscite on May 29.
		Blair undertook in April 2004 to put the constitution to a national vote, which is expected to take place in the first half of 2006.
		Opinion polls have shown a majority of French voters will reject the landmark EU treaty, which aims to simplify decision-making in the expanded EU and must be approved by all 25 member states.
	www.turkishpress.com /news.asp?id=41100 (412 words)

	Welcome to the Cold Equator (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		Generally, the pressing issue of the constitution and the EU budget has meant that the patents issue has received very little coverage in the press although Guardian has snapped into action with an opinion piece by Richard Stallman, the brilliant but hyperbole-prone founder of the Free Software Foundation.
		I doubt however that the constitution will be ammended in favour of the French fears over privatisation of the public sector but the French (and anyone who had ever travelled on both French and British trains) are notoriously protective of their public service.
		Meanwhile in France, the referendum on the European Constitution is turning out to be another disastrous move by Chirac; the first was his decision to dissolve the French assembly in 1997 which remains the greatest political miscalculation of the after-war.
	www.coldequator.co.uk (4372 words)

	BBC NEWS \| Have Your Say \| Do you welcome EU referendum?
		The referendum will be the first major gauge of public opinion on the EU since the 1975 referendum on whether Britain should stay in the Common Market.
		This is a clever move, primarily because Mr Blair knows that the EU Constitution won't be agreed by the British government, this especially likely due to Spain's position to support the Franco-German alliance.
		As this is a referendum, an independent body should produce a document detailing the main provisions of the constitution and their implications.
	news.bbc.co.uk /1/hi/talking_point/3636827.stm (2756 words)

	Opinion: No German Referendum on the EU Constitution \| Press Reviews & Opinion \| Deutsche Welle \| (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		Despite all the EU euphoria, you can't overlook the fact that the majority of the EU states' populaces supports neither the euro nor eastward expansion.
		It's a transparent maneuver: The referendum is an instrument to try to corner their political opponents.
		In a major reversal of policy, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday he will call a British referendum on the EU constitution following months of pressure from the euroskeptic opposition conservatives.
	www.dw-world.de /dw/article/0,,1182329,00.html (512 words)

	[No title]
		The Rally for a Referendum was organised by
		The Congress for Democracy discussed the proposed EU Constitution at its Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Congresses and now focuses on the need for a UK referendum on the proposed EU Constitutional Treaty.
		provided a focus for individuals and groups from across the political spectrum who are campaigning for a British referendum on the EU Constitution.
	www.congressfordemocracy.org.uk /RALLY.htm (266 words)

	the Mail online \| Mail - news, sport, showbiz, health and more \| Poland may delay referendum on EU Constitution
		Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said on Tuesday he might put off a referendum on the EU constitution from his favoured October date if the June 16-17 EU summit took no decision on the fate of the charter.
		He said the Brussels EU summit would probably not decide a way forward for the bloc.
		The favoured October date for a Polish referendum, coinciding with the presidential election, was chosen to ensure turnout tops the 50 percent needed to make it binding.
	www.dailymail.co.uk /pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=351401&in_page_id=1811 (261 words)

	Blair to hold referendum on EU constitution - Apr. 21, 2004 (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		Speaking in the House of Commons, Blair said the constitution - due to be approved in principle by EU leaders in June - will first be debated in detail by parliament.
		Blair did not say when the referendum would be held, or what exactly the question might be.
		Blair reiterated Tuesday that Britain's negotiating position on the constitution, known as its "red lines" - its veto over EU initiatives on taxation, defense and foreign policy, and social policy - remain intact.
	www.inq7.net /wnw/2004/apr/21/wnw_8-1.htm (489 words)

	The Manila Times Internet Edition \| OPINION > British PM takes risk by freezing referendum on EU constitution (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-14)
		LONDON: Britain was expected to announce Monday it will freeze a referendum on the draft European Union constitution, a relief for Prime Minister Tony Blair at home but a calculated risk for him across the Channel.
		Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was expected to announce the decision before parliament in the afternoon, choosing his words carefully to avoid making Britain appear as the one to kill the treaty following its rejection at the polls in France and the Netherlands.
		British newspapers said Straw would again insist on the need to respect the results of such plebiscites and announce a temporary freeze of the bill, which would have allowed the referendum to proceed in Britain in early 2006.
	www.manilatimes.net /national/2005/jun/06/yehey/opinion/20050606opi7.html (595 words)

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