DUP Member of the European Parliament, Jim Allister QC, has taken a leading role in the fight against the European Constitution by becoming a member of the Bureau of a new pan-European alliance called the Referendum Group which was launched today.  The group has been formed to oppose the EU Constitution and is comprised of parties from across the political spectrum and from countries all over the continent including the UK, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Poland.

The Referendum Group is campaigning on three main issues:

• A free and fair referendum campaign in every country.

• ‘No’ votes in those referenda.

• Acceptance of the people's verdict.

Jim Allister said, “The Referendum Group supports greater democracy and less centralisation within the EU and calls for an end to EU waste, inefficiency and corruption.

We are prepared to accept the verdict of the people. If the nations of Europe vote in favour of this constitution we will abide by that outcome. But we are concerned that there is no equivalent readiness on the other side to respect the people’s verdict.  We all remember how the Irish rejection of the Nice Treaty was dealt with.  Already, large parts of this constitution are being implemented before the first ballot has been cast in the first national referendum”.