Lisbon is as close as we’re going to get to a United States of Europe

In the real world, there is no way the Conservatives would spend their first months in power expending political capital on a referendum on Europe if Lisbon had already been ratified. As a political priority, Britain’s debt crisis puts Europe in the shade. But can they just hack the treaty? That seems unlikely too

THE Lisbon referendum has left a bitter aftertaste. It was a convincing win for the Yes side on a decent turnout, but there is a strong sense that another No would not be accepted in Brussels. It wasn’t last year, after all: the Irish people were denounced as ungrateful ignoramuses. What kind of country is it that gives everyone a say on changing their constitution anyway, the Eurocrats asked? Answer: a democracy.

It is not the Irish people’s voice that EU officials respect, but their ability to give the “right” answer. The people are not there to decide, merely to rubber stamp. The EU is becoming a union of rulers united in mistrust of their citizens.