Vague Hague hints at referendum... but there's a catch

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9590...nts-Hague.html

An election vote on our EU future, hints Hague

Voters could be given an opportunity to back or reject plans to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with Europe at the next general election, rather than in a separate referendum, William Hague says.

The referendum issue is expected to be one of the key themes of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, which begins tomorrow

The Foreign Secretary indicates that a so-called “in-out referendum” is likely to be rejected by the Government in favour of an election manifesto pledge to return powers to Britain.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mr Hague says that consent for a “fresh settlement” with the EU is likely to be in a “general election or referendum”.

There had been growing speculation that the Prime Minister was preparing to order a referendum after he said that “consent” from the public on Britain’s membership of the EU would be necessary.

However, Mr Hague makes clear that this “consent” could be in the form of voters backing the Conservatives at the next general election.

The referendum issue is expected to be one of the key themes of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, which begins tomorrow.

In the next few weeks, the Government will set out detailed plans for a major Whitehall exercise to analyse which powers are determined by Brussels and which are set in this country.

The findings will be published in a document during 2014, paving the way for the Conservatives to set out their plans for repatriating powers for the election in 2015.

“There’s likely to come the time that a fresh settlement will require fresh consent either in a general election or a referendum,” the Foreign Secretary says.

Mr Hague adds that the “balance of competency” review would be used to inform the public about the future shape of the country’s relationship with Europe.

Asked whether the next general election would effectively serve as a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, Mr Hague replied: “On that you’ll obviously have to wait for our manifesto for the next election … The Prime Minister has said that he will speak, that he will make a speech on that in the coming months.

"So I think there will be more answers to that at that time.”

However, Mr Hague says he and the Prime Minister support Britain’s membership of the EU, and that the plans were about returning social, business and employment lawmaking to Britain rather than pulling out.

So the catch is, to get your referendum you'd have to vote Conservative in 2015... anybody remember this same sly trick played back in 2005 and 2010 by all there major parties? but you know, even if they did offer a referendum I couldn't bring myself to trust any three of them unless it was written in blood as Nigel Farage said a week ago. As I have long argued on here, with the EU making around 70% of our laws - when you come to vote, it's essentially Labour/Conservative/Liberal Democrat (EU) vs UKIP (independence).

As for 'renegotiation' - I can say that no such thing exists and has never existed, it is a con intended to keep us within.

I am utterly fed up with the constant lies we are subjected to, we deserve better - not just on this issue either as Chippiewills energy thread shows.

Thoughts? do you trust any referendum pledges?