A Conspiracy Against The Public
It seemed like more than just mere coincidence that on the day chosen by I Want A Referendum to stage a mass lobby of MPs in Parliament, lunatic eco-fringe protestors decided to scale the Houses of Parliament.
As it now turns out, it was probably not a coincidence at all. It’s suspected that the eco-protesters were given access to Parliament by either an MP or researcher - an act that was no doubt purposefully staged to divert media attention away from our Referendum Rally taking place below.
This cunning ruse of course worked like a charm. The media (always desperate for scandal and sensation) rapidly made the rooftop protest their main news item. As I returned to Paddington station after the rally, billboards advertising the Evening Standard claimed to have exclusive photographs of the eco-protest. No mention of the far larger and more important EU Referendum rally.
Be that as it may, the Referendum Rally and Lobbying seemed to go well, though obviously the likelihood of us obtaining a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty looks increasingly slim. When I arrived in Westminster just after lunch the day’s events were already in full swing. While the eco-morons chained themselves to the Parliament roof railings, those participating in the Referendum Rally below and waiting to lobby their MP engaged in that most British of things: they formed a long and orderly queue.
Elsewhere at the Methodist Central Hall I listened to a number of speeches by various campaign group leaders including trade unionists, MEPs, and the Director of the I Want A Referendum. The best among these speeches were probably those by Roger Helmer MEP (who gained quite a few laughs from the audience) and the Sunday Telegraph Columnist, Christopher Booker.
However, as Dr Richard North commented on his EU Referendum blog yesterday:
When today’s day return tickets to London are tomorrow’s waste, the issues will still be there. When the Lisbon treaty is ratified, they will still be there. When the European Union brings out its next treaty – which indeed it will – the issues will still be there.
He is completely correct. We need to remember that this will be a long and protracted battle to regain the freedoms and liberties of the democracy our country once was. Today was only one such battle – there will be many others.
