The Hindu : International : `No' vote will harm Britain, warns Patten

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 26, 2004

International

International

`No' vote will harm Britain, warns Patten

LONDON, APRIL 25. Britain would have no choice but to pull out of the European Union if the public vote no in a referendum on the European Constitution, according to Chris Patten, the British Commissioner to the E.U.

Mr. Patten, who is respected across the Continent for his pro-European views, said a rejection of the Constitution would make the Government's position on Europe untenable. With senior officials from both the Prime Minister's office in Downing Street and the British Foreign Office making it clear that a no vote could have `fatal consequences' for Britain's position in the E.U., Mr. Patten said the referendum would in effect be the `final reckoning' on the issue.

"We've got to make our mind up whether we want to make a success of Europe or not," Mr. Patten said in an interview with the London-based Observer newspaper.

"That's why I think that, if we ever get to this referendum, it's really going to be about whether we want to stay in. What's the point of being inside and endlessly, truculently making trouble? Is that really pursuing the national interest?"

Asked directly if a no vote would mean quitting the E.U., Mr. Patten said: "I think as good as. I just think that psychologically we can't go on like this. It poisons political debate. It has demeaned large parts of our national media. We have to decide whether we want to choose for the first time in a millennium to play in the second division."

He said that, if the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was forced to negotiate Britain's departure from the E.U., it would have huge consequences for Britain's economy and position on the world stage.

Mr. Patten's comments are known to hold much sway within Downing Street: he was appointed by Mr. Blair in 1999 and talks regularly to the Prime Minister.

Last night, senior Government officials admitted that last week's handling of the announcement of the U-turn on the referendum issue was `shambolic'.

Officials made it clear that at least three of the big guns in the Cabinet - Charles Clarke, the Education Secretary, David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, and John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister - felt that the past seven days had been highly damaging for Mr. Blair.

One senior figure close to Blair put the blame at the door of the Foreign Secretary, whose allies stand accused of deliberately briefing the media to `bounce' Number 10 into announcing a decision early.

Some suggest that Mr. Straw has even been trying to position himself for a future leadership bid. "Tony is very unhappy about how all this has happened," the source said. Close colleagues of the Foreign Secretary described allegations that Mr. Straw had deliberately `briefed up' the referendum U-turn as untrue. Growing tension between Number 10 and the Foreign Office is threatening to poison the campaign for a yes vote. Polls released last night revealed just how difficult a campaign it would be.

In an ICM poll for the News of the World, only a quarter of the British public said they planned to vote yes. Asked `Do you believe Britain should sign up to —

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

LTTE to assess Government position

Iraqi fighters launch sea-borne attacks

`No' vote will harm Britain, warns Patten

U.S. tribes go on legal warpath

Israel mulls expelling Arafat to Gaza Strip

U.K. to tighten anti-terror laws

South Asia set to tackle income poverty

Over 1,000 held in Nepal protests