"Re-arranging the furniture won't do", says Allister
16 September 2005
Today the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament had a debate on the period of reflection on the rejection of the EU Constitution. With the majority of the Committee believing the proposed Constitution was nigh perfect, this was a very difficult debate for Euro-enthusiasts, whom Jim Allister accused of still being in denial over the democratic rejection of their pet project. Speaking in the debate, the DUP MEP said,
"The Constitution, by the test set for its survival, is dead. It required unanimous national approval but has been democratically rejected by two of the States permitted to vote.
I sense the majority in this Committee, indulging in reality avoidance, think by mere tinkering and repackaging, they can yet foist this flawed and failed Constitution upon the people of Europe. Who, when they have had a house built, which then collapses because of faulty foundations, would go back to the same architect and builder and construct it again on the same flawed foundation? Yet that is the approach of most on this Committee. They see the way ahead as building the same structure and then re-arranging some of the furniture to con the sceptical public in to believing it is something new, fresh and durable. With this attitude, they will fail again."
