British Prime Minister David Cameron appears to have lied in his big European Union referendum speech at Chatham House yesterday, telling the British public that if they vote to leave the EU, the “choice cannot be undone”.
The alarmist language however is directly contradicted by the Lisbon Treaty, the most recent constitutional document produced by the EU, and what was originally supposed to be dubbed the EU Constitution. Although Britons are unlikely to want to rejoin after leaving, the use of the language is believed to be deliberate to sound final, rather than flexible, and therefore intimidating.
Mr. Cameron, in his speech yesterday, said: “I say to those who are thinking about voting to leave. Think very carefully, because this choice cannot be undone.”
But Article 50, paragraph 5 of the Lisbon Treaty unequivocally states: “If a State which has withdrawn from the Union asks to rejoin, its request shall be subject to the procedure referred to in Article 49.”
Article 49 is clear: “Any European State which respects the values referred to in Article 2 and is committed to promoting them may apply to become a member of the Union.” It then details how the process would occur.
For Mr. Cameron to have claimed that the choice is irreversible has been branded “dishonest” and “alarmist” by ‘Out’ campaigners.
Andy Wigmore, from the Leave.EU campaign told Breitbart London: “I find it incredible that Mr. Cameron can look down a camera lens, ostensibly trying to look people at home in the eye, and lie in the way he has. The Lisbon Treaty is quite clear, and even though no one will want to return to the EU after we vote to leave, the mechanism to do so exists. His dishonest and alarmist rhetoric highlights another chink in his armour: if he can’t be honest with the British public now – how can they trust his so-called renegotiation? It’s simple. They can’t.”
Mr. Cameron has pledged, “When the British people speak, their voice will be respected – not ignored. If we vote to leave, then we will leave.”
But UKIP’s Nigel Farage spoke to Breitbart London about the language, noting: “One of my biggest fears now is not that we don’t vote to leave the European Union – which is possible – but that Cameron, in line with French, Dutch, Irish and Danish politicians, will not honour the will of the people.”
Breitbart London contacted Number 10’s press office for a statement on Mr. Cameron’s comments, but as yet no reply has been received.
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