Quote:
Originally Posted by Ignitionnet
The Conservatives making it very clear what a waste of time their promise of a referendum is given they already say that they want the UK to remain in a 'reformed' EU leaving, exactly as Douglas Carswell said, masses of wiggle room for cosmetic changes to the relationship they can claim are reform enough to do what Cameron clearly has always wanted and campaign for an 'in' vote.
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That doesn't make the referendum a waste of time. If they don't abide by the result then it does but otherwise the Government are under no obligation to campaign for an exit. In many respects this will echo the Scottish Referendum.
There will still be a vote and you will still have the opportunity to vote to leave.
It's been clear the strategy from the Government is to win concessions, cosmetic or otherwise, from the EU and then campaign for it. This is why Cameron was so adamant that the negotiation happens before the vote. The polls suggest that currently the
Stay/Leave vote is close - staying is marginally ahead - but with a 'renegotiation' the
stay vote is much higher. That's politics for you.
However before anyone gets too indignant about it let's remember that this is also the reason Euroskeptics wanted a referendum
now. They want one before any negotiation can take place and concessions, cosmetic or otherwise, can be granted and weaken their campaign. Ideally whilst Europe remains in turmoil too. Everyone wants the political environment to be favourable to their cause when and if the referendum happens whichever side of the issue they fall into. It isn't limited to Cameron.
The other thing we can be sure of is that the Pro-EU side will label any concessions as meaningful and a victory whilst the Anti-EU side will label them cosmetic. Very few of them will likely have bothered to look either way.