In a recent Council meeting, Leader of the Council Cllr Derek Osbourne went against Liberal Democrat Party policy and his own two local Lib Dem MPs and agreed with Conservative Party demands for a referendum on the new rehashed European Union Constitution.

Conservative Cllr Robert-John Tasker challenged Cllr Derek Osbourne on his Party’s Euro-fanaticism contradicting recent announcements by the Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg MP that he wanted to “Revolutionise local government by handing power back to local councils”.  Cllr Osbourne could only show contempt for former Leader Ming Campbell MP’s desire for a referendum on membership of the EU and firmly placed himself on the Conservative side of the Council Chamber in his acknowledgment that a referendum on the treaty is needed.

Cllr Robert-John Tasker said: ''I'm delighted that the leader of the Liberal Democrats has endorsed the Conservative Party's campaign to give the residents of Kingston, and the wider general public, a referendum on the rehashed European Constitution. This proves that under David Cameron, our message is getting across, not just to our residents but also opposition Liberal Democrats. It is a pity, however, that our two local Lib Dem MPs’ won’t follow in Cllr. Osbourne's footsteps and endorse what the majority of their constituents would wish.''

4^th February 2008