Britain Removes Another Hurdle for EU Treaty Ratification

The High Court of London rejected a legal bid Wednesday that would have forced Britain to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

This legal bid was initiated by British businessman Stuart Wheeler in a last-ditch effort to stop the Lisbon Treaty before its “instruments of ratification” could be delivered to Rome.

The courts have now joined the prime minister, the queen, and both houses of Parliament in approving a document that signs away a large part of Britain’s sovereignty and goes against the will of most Britons.

The British government pledged to hold a national referendum on whether or not to ratify the now-rejected 2005 version of the European Constitution, but then refused to allow a referendum on the 2008 Lisbon Treaty, which is viewed by many as a European constitution in all but name. Because of this, Wheeler appealed to the High Court of London that the Lisbon Treaty was practically the 2005 European Constitution under a different name and should warrant a referendum.

After the court rejected this argument, Britain’s Europe minister, Jim Murphy, welcomed the ruling, saying the court supported the government’s position that the Lisbon Treaty “differs in both form and substance from the defunct constitution.”

The facts are, however, that the Lisbon Treaty still implements all the key reforms that were included in the 2005 version of the European Constitution. For proof of this, read “Ten Things You Might Not Know About the Lisbon Treaty.”

Britain, instead of looking to the God who miraculously ensured its freedom so many times throughout history, is now looking to the European Union for safety and security. For more information on where these events will end, read “When Britain Leaves Europe ….”