IN THE WORDS OF AL GORE, OUT OF ONE MANY:

Eurosceptics unite across Continent to fight constitution (Anthony Browne, 1/11/05, Times of London)

OPPONENTS of the European constitution across the continent are joining forces to begin a pan-European No campaign, marking the occasion with a letter in The Times and other European newspapers.

The European No Campaign, bankrolled by British businesses, is run by a German, Thomas Rupp, from the heart of Europe’s financial centre, the City of London. His office overlooking the Monument to the fire of London, is shared with Britain’s Vote No campaign, the best funded and most organised in Europe.

The aim is to pool expertise and tactics in the referendums to be held in 11 EU member states. Today’s letter, signed by 42 prominent campaigners from 14 countries, including a cross-party selection of British MPs, demands that “public funds are not misused to give ‘yes’ campaigners an advantage”. It also insists that governments “respect the fact that a national ‘no’ vote means the proposed constitution must be rejected”.

The letter coincides with a €375,000 (£262,000) party hosted by the European Parliament in Strasbourg to promote the constitution, including travel for 100 journalists. The Parliament is expected overwhelmingly to endorse the constitution in a vote tomorrow.

The European No Campaign is an unlikely coalition of businesses, trade unionists, peace campaigners, democracy campaigners, socialists, conservatives and greens.
At last, a cause that unifies Europe: opposition to a United Europe.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 11, 2005 8:57 AM