Nigel Farage has described the Irish referendum result - in which twice as many people voted ‘yes’ to the Lisbon Treaty as ‘no’ - as a “fix”
UKIP leader Nigel Farage has claimed the referndum campaign in Ireland was “a fix” following the 2:1 vote in favour of ratifying the Lisbon Treaty.
Speaking on the BBC News Channel he said:
“The Irish have been bullied into voting yes. This is a fix. They’ve had a wall of money thrown at them, and the broadcasting rules have been changed, we’ve not had equal coverage, the State broadcaster changed its rules.
“I have to say while I’m disappointed by the result, I think the whole thing has been an absolute travesty of democracy. The way this thing has been conducted is more akin to Zimbabwe or Afghanistan. This has not been a free and fair referendum.”
Mr Farage’s remarks are in sharp contrast to those of the leader of the ‘no’ campaign Declan Ganley, who praised the ‘yes’ campaign for a “masterful campaign”, conceding the result was an “overwhelming endorsement” of the Treaty.
The result will concern Tory leader David Cameron on the eve of his party conference, with a poll on ConservativeHome this morning showing 84 per cent of members want a referendum on the Treaty. Mr Cameron has repeatedly refused to say what his policy would be should the Treaty be ratified in all 27 member states.
In an email today, before the Irish result was announced, he wrote:
“I want to make one thing clear: there will be no change in our policy on Europe and no new announcements at the Conference. There will be no change in Conservative policy as long as the Lisbon Treaty is still not in force. The Treaty has still not been ratified by the Czechs and the Poles. The Czech Prime Minister has said that the constitutional challenge before the Czech Constitutional Court could take 3-6 months to resolve.
“I have said repeatedly that I want us to have a referendum. If the Treaty is not ratified in all Member States and not in force when the election is held, and if we are elected, then we will hold a referendum on it, we will name the date of the referendum in the election campaign, we will lead the campaign for a ‘No’ vote.
“If the Treaty is ratified and in force in all Member States, we have repeatedly said we would not let matters rest there. But we have one policy at a time, and we will set out how we would proceed in those circumstances if, and only if, they happen.”
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers and to make the biggest impact we can in the next general election, we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 124 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.
12 Responses to “Irish ayes smile on Europe as Farage cries “fix””
Paul Hughes
I wouldn’t laugh too loudly or for too long. All this will do is highlight how Brown reneged on the promised British referendum. It will cause Cameron a headache for a week but Brown will be the ultimate loser.
And for those of you who support the EU, you really do need to think long term. The peoples of Europe were largely denied their say because their political masters knew what their answer would be. The Irish said “no.” They were told to vote again and every tool in the armoury of the political elites was used to strong-arm them into the subsequent “yes.” This wasn’t democracy. It was the victory of advertising and EU interference in Irish domestic politics.
The wider the democratic deficit, the more likely it is that the whole rotten edifice will come crashing down. Everything which is good about European co-operation will disappear along with the bad aspects of a remote, oligarchic technocracy.
Of course, if you value a USE above democracy, keep going. You’ll achieve your aim whilst destroying the longevity of what could have been a great common market. This castle is built on sand. Enjoy it whilst it lasts.
Shamik Das
Ireland, Ireland! 2:1 in favour of Europe!! http://bit.ly/Wle3U Nigel Farage, David Cameron, Dan Hannan, your boys took a hell of a beating!
Will Straw
RT @shamikdas Ireland 2:1 in favour of Europe! http://bit.ly/Wle3U Farage, Cameron, Hannan, your boys took a hell of a beating!
Matthew Taylor
Like it: RT @wdjstraw RT @shamikdas Ireland in favour 2:1 http://bit.ly/Wle3U Farage, Cameron, Hannan, your boys took a hell of a beating!
Democratic Society
RT @wdjstraw Ire 2:1 in fav of Europe! http://bit.ly/Wle3U < Link shows extent of UKIP belief in ref’s – ‘only fair when they agree with us’