Europe, Malta and the Labour Party

The editorial of the Malta Independent on Sunday today calls on Labour Party delegates to vote NO at the forthcoming MLP Conference that will decide the party's policy on the ratification of the European Constitution. The decision by the pro-European paper to call for a NO vote is unexpected and will surely raise some eyebrows. Is the paper reflecting the growing cynicism towards the European project that is currently sweeping popular sentiment across Europe? Or is the paper's editor getting his own back on the Labour Party's administration (which is calling for a YES vote) over an article published last Sunday by the party's official newspaper? Whichever reason, the editorial makes a number of pertinent points that deserve 'a pause for reflection' as called for by Europe's leaders - a call from which the Maltese authorities seem immune. From today's TMIS editorial:

..the Labour delegates’ vote is the only way a section of the Maltese population will get to vote on such an important treaty. They will be the only Maltese allowed to do so, since this government of ours has decided there is no need for a referendum. It is amazing that just when Denmark, Ireland and the Czech Republic, followed by Sweden, Finland and Portugal on Friday, decided to postpone their vote, the Maltese papers had the Prime Minister saying, also on Friday, that Malta will ratify the treaty in July. What’s the rush? It is even more amazing that the leadership of the Labour Party is joining in this attempt to force the treaty down the throats of the Maltese..

This is one reason why the delegates of the Labour Party should vote against ratification: to join the many millions in Europe who are complaining that Europe is not delivering what it promised them, and us: a better standard of living, and an economy that can grow and grow, instead of wallowing in recession; who are complaining that the real EU is not the EU it should be; that Europe spends far too much time on regulation, and very little time in alleviating poverty.

If the Labour delegates vote Yes, they would be among the very few in Europe who seem satisfied with the way Europe is being governed – sad for the delegates of a party which, up until two years ago, was steadfast against accession. A No vote is also a vote in favour of Malta... for it is by voting in favour of ratification at a time when everybody else is consigning the treaty to the deepest oblivion, that we are turning Malta into a figure of fun Europe-wide...

To ratify or not to ratify - Wired Temples

EU scraps timetable for ratifying Constitution - Guardian