If you want to vote Yes, or are looking for information as to why you might consider voting Yes, then instead of enduring a lecture from one of those boring Yes campaigners, try Nick McGinley.
100 Reasons To Vote YES To Lisbon II is the new book by Dublin based author and screenwriter Nick McGinley and is published by Trashface Publications.
In contrast to EU documents 100 Reasons is easy to read, accessible, and digestible, explaining the treaty and issues arising from it in an often funny, witty way. McGinley argues that Lisbon will not lead to greater militarisation of the EU as “the EU is never going to trouble Uncle Sam in the Charlton Heston international index of shock and awe”.
He also believes Lisbon will allow national parliaments greater scrutiny of the EU and have the right to object to EU legislation. It will also mean the Government can no longer blame Brussels for issuing unpopular directives. If you didn’t object, you can’t complain.
It is refreshing that McGinley approaches this subject with a sense of humour. There are chapters in this book entitled ‘Give Silvio a break’, ‘Vote Yes for the money’, and wonderfully ‘It will piss off the British Conservative Party’.
An interesting one, along the same lines, is ‘It will piss off Sinn Féin’. Now this arguments makes me ponder on another book that has just been published; Brain Hanley and Scott Millar’s potentially fascinating The Lost Revolution - the story of the Official IRA and The Worker’s Party (Penguin Ireland ). Back in the day the WP used to be known as Sinn Féin The Workers Party and to this day the Stickies remain mortal enemies of the Shinners.
Both parties advocate No to Lisbon, but if the Stickies want to get one over the auld enemy, should they not be campaigning for a Yes? And what about those former Stickies now in Labour? Could that explain the covert divisions within the party over Lisbon? Oh the dilemmas!
