On 22 April there was a hearing in the High Court of my action against the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, in which I seek a judicial review of their refusal to hold a referendum on whether the Lisbon Treaty should be ratified.
I am delighted to say that in his judgment delivered at the High Court on 2 May Mr Justice Owen decided that permission to apply for judicial review would be granted to me. In other words the result of the hearing was that we won.
Although I am the person bringing the action it is, in effect, on behalf of all those of us – well over half the population – who want our say in a referendum. There are, I believe, two reasons why there should be a referendum: |
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The Labour Party, as well as the other two main parties, made an unambiguous promise that they would call one. They should keep that promise.
- The Treaty is immensely important and so, irrespective of whether you think it should be ratified or not, you should be allowed a vote on it.
Pleased as, of course, I am to have won the right to a judicial review, it does mean that the maximum possible costs of the case are now far, far greater than if I had lost and my case had ended! I now have to face the costs of a hearing on 9 and 10 June, a further likely hearing in the Court of Appeal, and finally a further hearing in the House of Lords (the judicial arm). If that happens and if I were to lose in the House of Lords I would probably have, with one exception, to pay all the costs of both sides. So I am afraid this is a further request for financial help to anyone who can afford it.
I am very grateful indeed for those who have already given me financial support. If you would like to help please make cheques payable to Stuart Wheeler Lisbon Litigation
Account and send them to me with this contribution form or, if you prefer, direct to my bankers: HSBC Bank, 40-05-50, account No 51484257 ‘Stuart Wheeler Lisbon Litigation Account’.
If you need to know anything else which is not covered by this website please e-mail me at litigation@stuartwheeler.co.uk
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