The new EU Presidents are already on the march

Yesterday the four main new EU Presidents held celebrations in Brussels

Four new EU Presidents on the march in Brussels yesterday © EU Commission

Brexit Facts4EU.Org looks at the 10th anniversary of the EU taking power from the British people

Yesterday at the “House of European History” [should be “EU History” – Ed.] in Brussels, four of the most important new EU Presidents celebrated the entry into force on 01 December 2009 of the Lisbon Treaty. This created the European Union as a legal entity. It also created much more besides, including the EU Commission.

None of these four EU Presidents celebrating yesterday were elected to their positions by popular mandate. Here is what the new EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday:-

“Starting today, we are the guardians of the Treaties, the custodians of the Lisbon spirit.”

“Ten years ago, our predecessors were still discussing whether Europe should have a flag or an anthem. But in these ten years, millions of people have taken to the streets waving the European flag, our flag. And millions have been inspired and moved by the Ode to Joy, our European anthem.”

- EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Brussels, 01 Dec 2019

In fact neither the EU flag nor the EU anthem appear anywhere in the Lisbon Treaty. As with so many things EU, these have been ‘adopted’ by the EU but are not included in any Treaty. For information, the final version of the EU flag was designed by a Frenchman, the music was composed by a German, and the lyrics (“An die Freude”, or “To joy”) were written by another German.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

The EU Constitution and subsequent Lisbon Treaty

Lisborn Treaty signing ceremony - © Portuguese Archiwum Kancelarii Prezydenta RP - click to enlarge

The Lisbon Treaty made the European Union into a legal entity for the first time
Only five countries were given a referendum on this – and it was rejected by the people in three out of the five
The British people were promised a referendum, but it was cancelled by the Labour government
Lisbon gave the EU the power to sign international treaties, binding the United Kingdom
It established a de facto EU Foreign and Defence Secretary, called “the High Representative”
It gave the EU “exclusive competence” over many areas, including:

A Common Commercial Policy – setting high tariffs on imported goods
The running of the Customs Union
The running of the Single Market
The EU’s use of British waters, under the Common Fisheries Policy
The Lisbon Treaty also made the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding

Critically, the Lisbon Treaty removed the UK’s national veto in over 40 key areas of policy. This was replaced with the principle of majority voting, known as QMV.

A few varied examples of areas of EU action where the UK’s veto was removed:-

Asylum and immigration
Energy
EU budget
European Court of Justice
Europol
Tourism
Transport
Space
Sport

Who in the British government approved all of this?

At the time of the signing of this Treaty in 2007, (it took two years to ratify), Labour’s Gordon Brown was Prime Minister.

The British people had been promised a referendum. This never happened. At the debate in Parliament on the Treaty, Mr Brown was not even present.

At the signing ceremony of all the EU national leaders, Mr Brown was again absent. The then Foreign Secretary David Milliband provisionally signed, for appearance’s sake. Mr Brown turned up several hours later and signed the Treaty quietly in a side room.

- David Milliband signed first, leaving room to the left for PM Gordon Brown to sign later in private

Observations

The Lisbon Treaty was a major event in the development of the EU superstate. As readers can see, the tenth anniversary of it coming into force was celebrated yesterday by four of the EU’s many new Presidents.

This Treaty was yet another in a long line of treaties which transferred sovereignty from the Crown and the British people, to the technocrats of the extremist Euro-federalist machine in Brussels.

This is not a matter of debate for Remainer MPs, it is a fact. It’s all there in black and white if they care to read the Treaty that so many of them voted for twelve years ago, and which entered into force on 01 December 2009.

Labour PMs Tony Blair and then Gordon Brown both promised a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. As so often, their manifesto promises were broken and the British people were denied their say.

In 2016 the people were finally given their say, thanks to the electoral threat of UKIP. Despite a simply astonishing effort by the Establishment, including outright lies from Government ministers, the people voted to leave the autocratic European Union and regain control, as an independent country again.

It is scarcely credible in our opinion that here we are, three and a half years later, with the majority of political parties campaigning to overturn the largest democratic vote in British history.

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[ Sources: EU Commission | Hansard ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, 02 Dec 2019

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Reader Comments 6

1. Sydney Ashurst , Monday, December 02, 2019, 08:47:

One could say it was sneaked through by Gordon Brown and the Labour Government.
The only reason we got the 2016 referendum was because Cameron felt guilty about the way Brown behaved.
The majority of our MP's are weaklings, believing the scare mongering media. they lack the bulldog spirit and seek the easy life.
The LibDems want to revoke Article 50, so perhaps they should be reminded of Nick Clegg's leaflet . "Its time for a REAL Referendum on Europe", Sign our Petition Today

2. Not4EU●, London , Monday, December 02, 2019, 09:20:

I'm quite sure that the EU will take full advantage of A48, which makes it a self-amending Treaty, allowing the EU to grant itself powers that it determines for itself without that 'nuisance' democracy thing & people having a say, particularly as it is now fully enforceable as the last of the 'delayed' effects expired (deferred implementation only is allowed - for domestic politics purposes). The last expired deferral was the Polish objection to the new voting system.
Of course, many may remember Scameron's pre-election insistence on a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, but as soon as he got into power it was a case of 'The Treaty is signed now so there's nothing that we can do about it.' Remember that as Boris INSISTS on passing the MayBo surrender Treaty, rather than doing what was democratically mandated - to leave the EU.
The vote to leave the EU was to LEAVE the EU Treaties & become an independent & sovereign country once more, with our elected pollies accountable & answerable to US, the people, for their decisions. That did NOT mean signing ANY 'new' Treaty. Just a trade deal with them is all we wanted and that can't happen until AFTER we leave.
We now seem to be being told that we can't 'just leave'. Why not? In truth, our Govt & Snivel Serpents are being run from Brussels and the dance of deception of the British public continues. They will not tell the public the truth. 'Get Brexit done' means to sweep it under the carpet & hope that the public don't notice that we're still being governed by the EU. All the signals & signs of the forthcoming betrayal are there. No-one mentions 'leaving the EU' any more, much less WHEN that will actually happen, nor anything relating to our returned independence, such as plans for growing our fishing industry, managing waters, flood plains etc.
A democratic mandate by the people will not be implemented. That is NOT a democracy.

3. tarien , Monday, December 02, 2019, 10:32:

Agree 100% 2 Not4EU London-we the British public have had the wool pulled over our eyes, once again. We all know that Parliament is not fit for purpose anyomore-a couple of Army tanks should be able to start the process of dismantling that place of ill repute. The great statesmen and women that stood proudly in the commons chamber as well as the Lords, had the will and support of the people behind them. They did not seek honours or money for what they did, it was for the nation they were proud to be associated with and represent. Now in my late seventies and observing what I now see I am very sad. Some of the those statesmen I can well recall to mind, of both sides of the house I might add, but not anymore, as the guts has gone out of the lot of them. Overpaid positions have entrapped them. Europe a continent I have worked and lived in,and where I met some geat people, French, Dutch, German, Spanish and Norwegian. But sadly now this continent is being consumed by greed, controlled by those unworthy to hold office of any kind, and mostly not with the general support of the Europeans I met. An evil element is creeping forward that seeks to destroy the sovereignty of each nation, destroy any element of culture, undermine the rich history of its past and to lead Europe into a communist state. Not a Europe I want to be part of even though I would happlily live in France or Spain especially for the weather! Yes sir Democracy as we understand it is now under siege. Never have so few decided so much for so many.

4. Sydney Ashurst , Monday, December 02, 2019, 12:58:

How many people will notice the BBC jumping up and down in reports this week on the COP 25 conference starting in Madrid today.
No doubt it will be two weeks of acrimony with Western Countries pointing the finger at the rest of the World for not honouring the Paris agreement.
The poor people of the World want a better lifestyle, they are not concerned if fossil fuel is used to generate the electricity they want at minimum cost.

5. Barbara Jell , Monday, December 02, 2019, 13:22:

Comment 1 - Sydney Ashurst - NO Sydney, the only reason we were given the Referendum was because UKIP garnered nearly 4 million VOTES and the Tories realised they were a real threat. In his arrogance he believed that he would win the Referendum and demolish UKIP. Cameron has never felt guilty about ANYTHING! He was a vacuous liberal progressive . After his ignominious and cowardly departure from office, he stated that his proudest achievement was introducing same sex marriage - undermining the stablishing bedrock of a Christian society, traditional marriage.

6. Sydney Ashurst , Monday, December 02, 2019, 13:48:

Barbara Jell.
I stand corrected.
Probably Osborne and Hammond influenced him to publish the Remain leaflet.

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