UK debates timing of EU Constitution bill & referendum

The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary of the UK appear to
differ over when to introduce an EU Constitution bill in
parliament and whether to fix a time for the referendum.

UK’s Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw
appear to disagree over when to introduce a bill implementing
the EU Constitution in parliament, reports The
Independent’s Andrew Grice.

Jack Straw has argued that the bill should be introduced in late
November so that it can become law before the next general election
in May. However, Tony Blair has disagreed, saying that if the
EU Constitution bill got top priority, little legislative time
would be left for other laws of high domestic importance
before the election, such as one introducing a national
identity cards scheme.

Another issue is the timing of the referendum on the new treaty,
which Tony Blair decided to go forward with on 20 April after a
spectacular U-turn. The Foreign Secretary wants a firm commitment
from the government to hold the referendum in the spring of 2006
while Tony Blair has argued for a referendum in 2006 but without
wishing to commit to a specific time. Blair has said he would go
forward with a plebiscite even if another big country, for instance
France, said ‘no’ but in such case he could decide to
delay the public vote.

In France, the referendum on the EU Constitution is now likely
to take place in May rather than in late 2005, as previously
planned. Within the French Socialist party there is an ever more
heated debate on the Constitution. Former minister Ségolène Royal
said she would not go campaigning for a ‘no’ even if the party
would adopt this position as an official party line. The
Socialist party may hold an extraordinary congress on an issue
that threatens to split it in two. 

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