To ratify or not to ratify

Faced with pressures from within as well as with unkind external developments, Labour leader Alfred Sant has just published an essay which provides a comprehensive inside view of the MLP debate on the European Constitution. He writes that "the internal discussion within Labour regarding the constitutional treaty has been a rewarding experience". The essay includes a summary of the different trends emerging in the debate. From the Malta Independent:

Indeed, as the assemblies started meeting, three different trends emerged among delegates. I give away no secrets by saying what they were. The first trend reflected the parliamentary group’s conclusions, both on grounds of substance and on the grounds that MPs were in a better position than most to decide about such a complex matter. Another trend believed it was wrong to vote for the treaty, as this would give support to the PN which never backed anything Labour proposed or desired, and also because the treaty contradicted what Labour stood for up to the 2003 election. Thirdly, there were those who believed that the matter has to be gotten out of the way; European matters should no longer remain a controversial issue so that socialists can concentrate on how to tackle the ongoing economic and social crisis..

In the past two weeks, the developments in France and Holland have complicated the discussion. Negative votes in the referenda organised in these two countries always were on the cards. The strength of the “no” vote caused some surprise. Many believe that the EU constitutional treaty is dead in the water. However, it has frequently been the case that matters considered dead in the EU somehow survive and revive. Do not rule out that this could happen once again. In which case, there will be no point in repeating the process of debating and counter-debating the same points two to three years down the line. Best get the whole matter out of the way now, and then go back to the bread and butter issues that rack the future of this country...

Leadership for the future - Wired Temples

Tony Blair urges EU Constitution 'pause' - BBC

Public Opinion and the European Constitution