Bolton voters call for EU treaty poll

7:43pm Sunday 2nd March 2008

CONSTITUENTS in Ruth Kelly's ward have delivered a stinging rebuke to the Prime Minister for signing up to the new EU treaty without a consulting the nation.

Nine out of 10 people who responded to a postal poll in Bolton West voted for a nationwide referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

Critics say the treaty will give extra powers to the European Court, scrap national vetoes and effectively create an EU foreign minister.

Gordon Brown is refusing to let people vote on the treaty because he says it does not form a constitution, a claim disputed by opponents.

A total of 17,934 voters - more than a third of the electorate - returned their postal ballots, with 88per cent in favour of a referendum and the same number saying the treaty should not be approved by the Government.

The poll was organised by the cross-party and business led I Want a Referendum (IWR) campaign and was one of 10 held in marginal seats across the country.

IWR North West chairman Alan Halsall said Labour should now honour its 2005 General Election manifesto pledge to have a referendum on any new constitution.

He said: "This is a staggering result here in Bolton West and in the other seats across the UK.

"It simply cannot be ignored."

IWR delivered ballot papers to people on the electoral roll in the chosen constituencies and those who phoned to request them.

However, a spokesman for Ms Kelly said: "Only a very small number of local people have ever raised it as an issue. Local people are more interested in having a more personalised health and education service, improved public transport and a stable economy than in a Tory-led PR stunt."

The announcement of the results came as MPs prepare to vote on Wednesday on whether to hold a referendum for real.

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