Europe Vs Language

While the future of the Lisbon Treaty is debated today, there are several reasons for the Irish rejevtion being mooted. Notably this was a protest vote against local politicians who had lost the trust of the public, some that the message requires no interpretation, it's a rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, whilst others say it's because the Irish have been simply ungrateful for the huge amount of cash the EU has thrown at them in recent years.

The debate about what to do over the rejection is also over three options:
1. Ignore it
2. Hold the vote again and hope they vote 'the right way'
3. Figure out why the treaty was rejected and make changes

Now, it is beyond my capacities to explain what 3 million people were thinking, but as the rejection would have been replicated in many other countries if it had been put to a vote, let's take a look at a few issues and how to counter them.

The Lisbon Treaty.
Blairwatch has been against 42 day detention, but having read the treaty (pdf)^*, there is a strong case for all those responsible for this turgid, inpenetrable and virtually unreadable text to be in carcerated in Gitmo for some time for crimes against language. If the combined minds of the intellectual elite that run Brussels can't write a document in clear and simple language they should not be suprised that people reject such treaties and similar documents.
Solution: EU documents should be written in clear language and could be put as several options. Instead of saying Do you accept this treaty, it could be broken down into several votes on the same ballot.

National Protest Vote
It is clear that there are voters who would vote no, mainly to annoy local politicians, for example Blair would havve been trounced because of his (Murdoch inspired and late conversion) commitment to a vote.
Solution: Tricky. Perhaps a clearer explanation would put the issue in non-national perspective. Getting decent political leaders is the obvious answers, but we're deep into 'don't hold your breath' country here.

They want out of Europe
Some do. Some, often with the excusses provided by national government who see 'Brussels' as the portal of all evils, rather than acceprt responsinbility for their own misdeeds. However, as someone reasonably pro-Europe, I must say that the EC and EU Parliament seem to be doing the euroskeptics work for them, by their inaction, secrecy and occasional outright criminal behaviour they are the ones making it hard for the pro Europe voice to be listened to.
Solution: Some will want out of Europe and it is their democratic right to say so. They should not be demonised. Europe needs to be transformed, made open and the crooks sent packing.

There are others with much better analysis than this but the EU needs to open up and radical top to bottom reform, respect people when citizens vote against them, communicate better and boot out the crooks.

That said, there are honorable and decent democratically minded people throughout the  parliament - from right to left - and in the Commission and other institutions but the 'Euro-Reformists' are utterly unorganised. Our interview with Nigel Farage, leader of the Independence and Democracy movement and UKIP was the first in a series of interviews we're undertaking on the future of democracy in the European project. We'll have some more news soon.

* Warning reading this is a deeply painful experience. Blairwatch accepts no liability for any damage or harm caused by following this link