The Tory MP who wants a referendum on Lisbon Treaty but would not let the people decide on electoral reform

By Mike Ion / @MikeIon

Daniel Daniel Kawczynski MP is the MP for Shrewsbury – I was his Labour oppnent in 2005. Mr Kawczynski holds some rather traditional Tory views particularly on issues like hunting and the European Union. He once described Otis Ferry as a political prisoner, has had to apologise to Melanie Philips and is very keen that we get closer to the regime that governs Saudi Arabia.

Mr Kawczynski has also, on several occasions, called for there to be a referendum on the Lisbon treaty because, as he has he put it in his letter to the President of Poland, the ‘democratic consent to the Lisbon Treaty has neither been sought from nor given by the British people.’

It is therefore somewhat bizarre that in a piece for ConservativeHome Mr Kawczynski is worried that the government might, and I quote, “engineer a referendum on electoral reform.”

Really? How exactly would the government do that, Daniel? Do you mean ‘engineer’ having a referendum or ‘engineer’ the outcome of a referendum? I thought you were in favour of holding referendums on important issues. If the Lisbon Treaty has such far reaching implications for our constitution and sovereignty that you believe we need to hold a referendum on it, why are you so opposed to a referendum on electoral reform?

I believe that we should let the people decide on any changes to the electoral system and I am surprised that you would deny them such an opportunity. Why is this Daniel? What are you so afraid of?