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		Conservatives launch campaign for a referendum Monday, 27th April 2009 The government must grant the British people a referendum on the EU Constitution, East Midlands Conservative MEP, Roger Helmer, said today after David Cameron launched a new campaign demanding the government honours its manifesto commitment. Mr Cameron launched a poster calling on the government to make its next u-turn an EU-turn. In its 2005 manifesto, Labour said: “The new Constitutional Treaty ensures the new Europe can work effectively...We will put it to the British people in a referendum.” Despite Gordon Brown's assurances in June 2007 that honouring that manifesto was “an issue of trust for me with the electorate”, he has failed to deliver on that pledge. David Cameron said: “Today the Conservative Party is launching a new poster and internet campaign calling for an ‘EU-turn’ on Brown’s broken promise to give the British people a referendum on the European Constitution – now re-branded as the Lisbon Treaty. “Gordon Brown’s flip-flopped on this before. First he was against the Constitution, then he was for it; one day he promised a referendum, the next he backtracked. While he has chopped and changed, our position has remained exactly the same. We are the only major party to have consistently said that it is up to the British people to decide on our future in Europe. “That’s why we have pledged that if the Constitution is not in force in the event of the election of a Conservative Government this year or next, we will hold a referendum on it, urge a no vote, and – if successful – reverse Britain’s ratification. “Where you stand on the referendum says a lot about your politics. It says a lot about how much you value trust between the government and the governed. I believe that if you make a promise in your manifesto, and the country votes on that manifesto, then you are honour-bound to keep that promise.” Roger Helmer said: “All main political parties promised the public a vote on whether we hand over more powers to the EU; but only the Conservatives have kept their promise. “The Lisbon Treaty is significant because it fundamentally alters the way in which we are governed. Not only would the EU have a President and Foreign Minister, it would also have a legal personality enabling it to sign treaties. “This campaign is important. It is about giving people a voice over the way they are governed and maintaining trust between politicians and the electorate. “If elected Prime Minister, David Cameron will rightly hold a referendum on the Treaty if it is not already in force. However we should also continue to put pressure on Gordon Brown to hold one now. I urge as many people as possible in the East Midlands to sign up to our campaign on Facebook to demand their voice is heard. "The East Midlands will have an opportunity to tell Gordon Brown what it thinks of his broken promise on June 4th. Labour and the LibDems cannot be trusted and UKIP will not deliver. Only the Conservatives will give people their say.”