In 2004, Tony Blair, the then Labour Party leader and British Prime Minister, promised the country a referendum on the EU Constitution.

He did this because the EU Constitution altered Britain’s relationship with the European Union and handed over a massive amount of power to Brussels. In 2005, the Labour Party fought and won a General Election with the referendum pledge contained in their manifesto.

Also in 2005, the EU Constitution was rejected by French and Dutch voters, ensuring the proposed constitution was scrapped.

Now, in place of the failed EU Constitution, EU leaders, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, have signed a Reform Treaty, which is almost identical to the EU Constitution. It also involves a huge amount of powers being transferred to Brussels. However, the Labour Party has gone back on its referendum pledge of 2005 and is refusing to give the people a vote.

We, the UK Independence Party South Sefton Branch, believe that this is a disgrace and a betrayal of the British people. Therefore we are calling on Bootle’s Labour MP to follow the lead of his Labour colleagues on Merseyside, Frank Field MP and Bob Wareing MP, and support a referendum.