EU Anthem: dead but it won't lie down
Thursday, 13th March 2008
The European Parliament meeting at Strasbourg yesterday celebrated its 50th birthday with a concert, at which the European flag was flown, and the European National Anthem (Beethoven’s 9th Symphony) played. Our Labour government has tried to justify its decision to deny a referendum on the new EU Treaty by arguing that the Treaty has dropped the flag and the anthem, the "Constitutional Elements" of the failed EU Constitution -- yet the flag still flies, and the anthem is still played. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has described the changes which turned the Constitution into the Treaty as "cosmetic changes", and the continued use of these Constitutional symbols proves her point.
It is an open question whether the parliament is in fact fifty years old. There was an appointed European assembly which first met in 1958, on the basis of which the celebration took place. But in fact the first elected parliament met in 1979, so it is now only 29 years old.
Roger Helmer, Conservative MEP for the East Midlands, speaking in Strasbourg after the event, said: "This shows the hypocrisy of the new Lisbon Treaty. The Government's promise on the EU flag and anthem has been proved completely hollow. Labour's decision to deny the people the referendum which they promised in its General Election Manifesto is a gross breach of faith. Whilst there is still time I urge Parliamentarians in Westminster to demand a referendum."
|
|
