All three main political parties in Britain pledged to seek voter approval of a proposed European Union Constitution in 2005. Rejection by French and Dutch voters killed the Constitution and made a referendum in Briton unnecessary. But parliament has now voted against allowing a referendum on the new European Treaty that contains all of the provisions of the old Constitution.

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Leaders of the European Union produced their Constitution in 2004 and sent it to member states for approval. Numerous parliaments speedily gave their OK and the measure seemed destined to gain consent from all of the EU’s 25 nations. But, given the chance to express themselves in referenda about the tightening control exercised by the EU, French and Dutch voters soundly rejected ratification in 2005. Because unanimous consent of all nations was needed, the Constitution died and the architects of the "new Europe" were forced back to their drawing board.

In 2007, leaders of the EU’s nations (now totaling 27) met in Lisbon and produced a new document. Not a constitution this time but a treaty, its ratification process has begun and the parliaments of five nations have approved it. But the British parliament, heavily influenced by new Prime Minister Gordon Brown, refused to allow the British people their promised say. On March 5th, on a vote of 311 to 248, parliament said no to any referendum. Responding to angry Britons, Brown explained, "If this was a constitutional treaty, we would hold the referendum. But the constitutional concept was abandoned." Those who favor further entangling Europe’s nations in the EU, therefore, have cleverly turned to a treaty and claimed that, unlike a Constitution, it isn’t subject to any referendum.

Giscard D’Estaing is the former French President who served as Chairman of the group that drew up the rejected 2004 Constitution. Last year, after the substitute treaty was created, he stated, "The difference between the original Constitution and the present Lisbon Treaty is one of approach, not of content." He also admitted, "All the earlier proposals will be in the new text [but] disguised in some way." New French President Nicolas Sarkozy stated last November that there wouldn’t be any referendum regarding the treaty in France because it would "bring Europe into danger" and would "be followed by a referendum in the UK."

Italy’s former Prime Minister Giuliano Amato, who served as D’Estaing's Vice Chairman in creating the rejected EU Constitution, stated of the new treaty, "They decided that the document should be unreadable" so that it could be foisted on an unknowing public. He added that calling the new document a treaty means "no one can ask for a referendum on it."

Former Irish leader Garret Fitzgerald approvingly referred to the new treaty as "virtual incomprehensibility … designed to enable certain heads of government to sell to their people the idea of ratification by parliamentary action rather than by referendum."

Current German Chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged that she supported the treaty because "the substance of the constitution is preserved." European Commission President Jose M. Barroso of Spain acknowledged once favoring a referendum but now says that allowing the people to vote would "make the process of approval much more complicated and less predictable."

Because of a 1987 ruling by Ireland’s Supreme Court, however, the Irish people will vote in a referendum in June. Not a direct vote on the treaty itself, it would measure approval or disapproval of a significant change the Irish Constitution allowing EU law to become superior to Irish law in the areas covered by the Lisbon Treaty. Not a vote on the treaty itself, it will be considered as such throughout Europe. If the Irish people approve the changes in their own Constitution, one of the final hurdles to virtual complete domination by Brussels over all 27 nations will have been achieved.

Americans must become aware that powerful forces are already at work to have our nation also become entangled with the EU. A newly formed U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council has been formed for the purpose of harmonizing some of the two group’s practices as a first step toward greater integration and convergence. The advocates of world government seem never to sleep.