Trick or treaty

Our unelected leader, representing a seat unaffected by many of the decisions of the Government he leads, has managed to avoid letting we mere peasants have any say about whatever it was he signed, supposedly on our behalf, in Lisbon.

The Prime Minister assures us that it is merely a treaty and "substantially different" from the dead-in-the-water European constitution which the Labour manifesto promised us would lead to a referendum.

Now why am I reminded of Alice in Wonderland . . . "When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in a rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less."

It all came down to honesty and trust. The treaty is merely the constitution dressed up in a new frock. Humpty could have been honest and said there would be no referendum because he would probably lose but that is not the way of politicians. They are much happier with slippery, shiny words that can be interpreted whichever way suits them now and, or course, at any time in the future.

As for the Lib Dems, apart from 13 notable exceptions, they appear to be taking up space that could be used for something more useful - a cafeteria perhaps.

Amid the despair at the sheer dishonesty of our leaders though perhaps we and democracy should thank some of our local MPs, Roger Godsiff, Dr Lynne Jones and Gisela Stuart for Labour along with Lib Dem John Hemmings for defying three line whips to vote for what had been promised at the last election. It is called integrity. Perhaps when polling day comes round again, working on the basis of course that Humpty will not find a way to avoid that one, voters will remember that.