McKenna: Referendum leaflet 'not impartial'

The People's Movement is accusing the Referendum Commission of being extremely misleading and evasive.

The People's Movement is today accusing the Referendum Commission of being misleading and evasive.

The group, which is launching its No to Lisbon campaign today, claims a leaflet sent out by the State-funded Commission is clearly geared towards securing a 'Yes' vote next month.

Chairperson Patricia Mc Kenna said the Commission is not being objective.

"This booklet is not balanced, it is not impartial," she said, "It is clearly designed in such a way that that Lisbon Treaty is fine and you can vote for it.

"While it does not directly say ‘Vote Yes’, it may as well do so."

McKenna won a landmark case in the Supreme Court in 1995, in which she argued that taxpayer's money cannot be spent on advocating one side of the argument in referendum debates.