SDLP WARNING:REJECTING THE Lisbon Treaty in the forthcoming referendum would play into the hands of British Tory Eurosceptics, SDLP leader Mark Durkan warned at a news conference in Dublin yesterday.
“An Irish red light to Lisbon now could turn into a green light for a British Tory wrecking-ball in Europe,” said Mr Durkan, who was accompanied by deputy leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP MLA, Alban Maginness MLA and Patsy McGlone MLA. Mr Durkan said that, after the No vote in the last referendum, Tory Eurosceptics in the House of Commons were “grinning like horses chewing thistles”.
“They are just hoping and praying for the same vote this time and people need to realise that the big new danger of a second No vote is that these people might be in government in England soon.
“Lisbon, if it is thwarted by Irish votes, could play onside the most aggressively Eurosceptic British government in living memory.”
A No vote would not be a vote for the status quo: “In that scenario, we will all lose power, influence and money.”
Fine Gael TD Andrew Doyle said it was ironic Sinn Féin had aligned itself with the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and Sinn Féin posters against Lisbon featured the Union Jack emblem.
In the Dáil yesterday, Minister of State for Europe Dick Roche described the political opinion of UKIP leader Nigel Farage as a “bigoted, narrow, insular, little Englander view”. He said he disrespected people such as UKIP “making mendacious claims that have nothing to do with Irish life”.
During a Dáil question on the Lisbon Treaty referendum debate, Mr Roche said he had told Mr Farage that “I do not object to his views because of where he comes from but I object to the views he expressed” in the leaflet issued by Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group to every residence in the State.
“It is a bigoted, narrow, insular, little Englander view that has nothing whatsoever to add to political debate in this country and certainly it is not a view held with the interests of the Irish people at heart,” he said.