Apparently the UK signed the Libson treaty (Guardian, BBC), and so did the rest of Europe (Wiki), putting us one more step closer to a Federal Europe, the often obfusticated goal of the EEC, EC, EU since its conception.
I completely overlooked this piece of news and I'm a bit shocked. I happened in March 2008.
Only one country, Ireland, had a referendum. Actually they had the same referendum twice. First the Irish said NO. Obviously NO was the wrong answer, so they were asked again. 16 months later, and with the rumours abounding that the Irish Prime Minister Berty Ahern might be the European President if the treaty is ratified, the Irish said YES.
If at first you don't succeed, try try again... This has been the strategy of the Federal Europe project throughout its history. Most recently the European Constitution was rejected, so they changed the name and made it sound more boring, less controversial. We, public , humans, politicians, have a short attention span, and a short memory. Eventually it is the next treaty is accepted and we tighten the ratchet one step further towards the United States of Europe.
I know many people are totally in favour of the concept of total union - a single country called Europe. I am a little bit sceptical. Before making the EU more powerful, it should be fixed. Serious corruption. Lack of transparency. Lack of accountability. Excess of bureaucracy. Impractically. And the basic dishonesty of misleading the public with promises of 'trading partnership' when the real objective, of a Federal Europe, was known all along. Good foundations for a monster.
"There will not be a blueprint for a Federal Europe" (Ted Heath 1970)
Most irish voted yes the second time because in the aftermath of the financial crisis they need the EU safety net and can't afford to make enemies. The first time people voted because either they didn't agree with the Lisbon Treaty or, as was the case for a huge number of people, they didn't understand what it was for (does anyone. Second time round when the dole queues were growing and people's jobs were on the line people voted with their own economic interests at heart.
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