Some Lisbon treaty backers were perceived to have their grubby paws in the honeypot

THE release of the Millward Brown IMS investigation into the no vote in the Lisbon treaty referendum demonstrates once again the arrogance of the Government and indeed of the entire yes side.

Great play is made by Foreign Minister Micheál Martin of the supposed finding that large numbers of people voted no because they did not understand the Lisbon treaty. Well, of course a lot of people did not know what was in the treaty because the entire yes strategy was based on exactly that. Their strategy from last November was two-pronged.

On the one hand they hoped to sell the treaty on the back of the purported benefits of previous treaties. The second prong of the strategy was that all the good and the great of Leinster House, IBEC and Maynooth would stand shoulder to shoulder and tell the Irish people to trust them.

Unfortunately for that strategy, some of its supporters were perceived to have their grubby paws in the honeypot. For months the Workers’ party called on the Government to provide every home with a copy of the Lisbon treaty and the consolidated treaty which is necessary to understand it. We pointed out that for a minimal cost, digital copies could be distributed widely over one weekend by linking to the Sunday newspapers. The Government abjectly failed to accede to this democratic request. And they shortened the run-in period to the referendum by four months to avoid clashing with an unpredictable French presidency. The Government seems intent on overriding the democratic decision of the Irish people.

If they think that a campaign which spells out exactly what is in the Lisbon treaty will help in this disgusting adventure, I believe they are greatly mistaken and the reverse will actually happen.

As we campaigned during last May and early June we found those who had read the treaty were the most determined to oppose it.

I believe a lot of the yes voters, who took the merits of the treaty on trust from their political leaders, will actually reject it when they see and understand the detail.

Andrew McGuinness

The Workers Party

Ballyfermot Branch

Dublin 10