Giving Away England By The Euro

The European Union created a Constitution and put it to a vote ... well, that is, until the French and Dutch voters rejected. Since then, the EU and its co-conspirators (that would be the governments of the European countries themselves) have been trying to slip a "treaty" underneath the noses of their citizens.

Today, Britain's Foreign Secretary, David Miliband signed the "treaty" putting England under the control of the EU.

And, if you think that is horrifying, check out the surreal burlesque UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is playing with the press:

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, has signed the EU reform treaty on behalf of Britain.

Gordon Brown will call for Europe to show "global leadership"

Gordon Brown will fly into Lisbon later after attending a Commons committee hearing. The signing of the treaty, which replaces the EU Constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005, paves the way for its ratification by MPs in a House of Commons vote next year.

But Mr Brown will still come under pressure to hold a popular vote on the treaty as opinion poll after poll suggests referendum demands have the support of a large majority of UK voters.

The Prime Minister's trip to Lisbon – Portugal currently holds the EU's rotating presidency – has been mired in controversy after he tried to pull out of the signing which clashes with an appearance before a Commons committee.

Mr Brown has sparked charges of cowardice because he will not be photographed singing the treaty's dotted line with other EU leaders.

He has dismissed the “fuss” over his late arrival and denied that it made him look “marginal” or was designed to avoid bad publicity.

He has vowed that the treaty should see the end of the EU's preoccupation will “semi-constitutions” and a new on “global leadership”.

"What I'm going to say to Europe is stop looking inwards, stop looking at constitutions or semi-constitutions or institutions for a long time ahead and for the foreseeable future concentrate on the big issues ahead of us,” Mr Brown said ahead of his visit to Portugal.

Last night Portuguese diplomats did not know of any special arrangements for the Prime Minister to be photographed signing the treaty after a lunch of EU leaders.

"Nothing is programmed for the press, at the moment nothing, the cameras will be gone,” said an official.

Mr Brown is expected to miss a lunch of EU leaders, being held in Portugal's national coach museum, amid carriages once owned by Europe's 18th century monarchs and emperors. Officials expect him to arrive during coffee.

Any treaty signing photo shoot, will have to be organised separately, at the discretion of Portuguese prime minister José Socrates.

"What will other EU leaders think of a Prime Minister who dithers for a week about whether he dares be photographed putting pen to paper?” asked the shadow foreign secretary, William Hague.

Not to be outdone in the idiocy department, environmentalists have figured out a way to get in on the action too:

Environmentalists have criticised EU leaders for contributing to global warming by hold two meetings – one in Lisbon today and the other in Brussels tomorrow.

The combined flights - 48,000 miles - of leaders and their diplomatic entourages will add 135 tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere at a time when the EU is lecturing other nations at a climate change summit in Bali.

But, even in today's fever dream of a civilization, reality can set in:

Labour MPs yesterday warned Mr Miliband that the Government had failed to persuade the public that the treaty was different from the old Constitution, on which Labour promised a referendum.

Like the shelved Constitution the new treaty creates a permanent EU President, a “Foreign Minister” known as a High Representative for foreign affairs, scraps 55 national vetoes and a new legal authority for the EU, allowing it to sign international treaties.

Labour members of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee told Mr Miliband they faced a “dilemma” explaining to voters why no referendum would be held, given that Labour promised them a vote on the constitution in its 2005 manifesto.

The Brit bloggers at Up Popeii are not happy, to say the least:

As at 13:00 GMT today I am now stateless

Well they did the dirty deed, as of 13:00 GMT I am within my own persona no longer part of any state, I owe no allegience to the UK government what is left of it of course, but most of all I do not recognise this new anti-democratic state effectively created today, I do not owe any allegience or respect to this state, I absolutely reject it, I do not accept its authority over me at all.

This new state is founded upon anti-democratic principals, this new state passes laws that are directly against freedom of expression and have no democratically oversight on these laws, they have ridden roughshod over the people, they have refused to give the people a voice by signing this without the acceptance of the people, it is unacceptable.

I thereby reject anything and everything from the EU as a state, I will do all that I can to undermine this state based on my own morals and principals.