THE LABOUR Party will conduct its Lisbon Treaty referendum campaign like a “ground war” rather than the “air war” last year’s campaign turned into, leader Eamon Gilmore has said.
Outlining the party’s approach to the October 2nd poll and launching its online campaign at www.labourforeurope.ie, Mr Gilmore said it would treat the referendum like a traditional election campaign and canvass intensely door-to-door.
Speaking at a press conference in Dublin, he said: “we will campaign on the basis that every individual vote will count”.
The Labour leader rejected the idea of an early joint press conference by party leaders in support of Lisbon. “I’m not too sure that that kind of choreography works actually, and there were mixed views as to whether it was a help or a hindrance on the last occasion.
“What is more important is that all the political parties campaign on the ground.”
He said: “The last time I think there was probably too many visuals and not enough verbals in the campaign, and we’re going to turn that around this time. There will be a lot more explaining and probably less of the visuals.”
The treaty was a different proposition this time. “The last time you could argue that a Yes vote meant that we would in rotation lose our commissioner. This time around with a Yes vote we keep our commissioner.”
He added: “There was too much of an air war about the campaign and not enough ground war, and the emphasis in our campaign this time will be much more ground war.”
Dublin MEP Proinsias de Rossa highlighted the party’s theme “Work with Europe” and stressed that a Yes to Lisbon would mean Irish businesses could apply directly to the European Investment Bank (EIB) for funding rather than going through Irish banks because of the change in the EIB statute in the treaty. Businesses could also apply through the EU Commission or the Department of Finance. “That will, hopefully, add pressures to the banks to loosen the purse strings.”
Mr de Rossa added: “It’s really time after a 10-year debate about reform in the EU that we bring the navel-gazing to an end. We have a Lisbon Treaty which has taken the guts of 10 years to debate and negotiate and put before the people.”
The party expects to spend at least €100,000 on the campaign, similar to last year, and will engage in an intensive “new generation or Obama-style” online campaign, according to its director and European affairs spokesman Joe Costello.
Asked about concerns the referendum might be used to “give politicians a kick”, Mr Gilmore said: “I think that the referendum needs to be used for Irish people to make a decision on the treaty and make a decision on our relationship with Europe, and I think that has to be done on a stand-alone basis.”
