Irish Vote sends EU Back to the Drawing Board

5.45.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 13th Jun 2008

Following the outcome of the Irish referendum local Liberal Democrat and MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, Graham Watson, indicated his huge disappointment at the 'no' vote:

"If the rejection is confirmed today the incoming French Presidency should convene a special summit of EU leaders with only this one item on the agenda. All 27 Member States must decide a course of action on the fate of the Treaty and its proposed reforms and commit themselves to a concerted campaign to explain what the European Union is, why and how it works and why it deserves their support.

If there is one clear lesson from Ireland it is that too few people know what the EU is about or how it is adapting to a changing global environment."