Last Wednesday MP’s rejected the opportunity to grasp their last chance at forcing a referendum on the unpopular EU Lisbon Treaty. The local Liberal Democrat MP surprised locals by abstaining from the vote.

It is with regret that I believe the vast majority of voters in Lewes, Newhaven, Polegate, Seaford and the surrounding villages have been let down by their Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament. He has voted to abstain in the referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon rather than follow David Cameron and the Conservatives’ lead calling for a referendum on this important treaty.

What I find even more surprising is that both the Labour party and the Liberal Democrats both offered a referendum on the EU Constitution, which now reappeared as the Treaty, in their party manifestos for the last general election. They have now broken their promises to the electorate. This now deprives the people in the Lewes Constituency of a right to vote in a referendum.

There is a great lack of public discussion and debate about the specifics of the Treaty of Lisbon. It transfers to the EU authority over Visa, asylum and immigration policy, sea and air transport, energy strategy, the co-ordination of economic policy and the regulation of financial institutions (other than insurance companies). It also enables the EU to harmonise civil and criminal law and rules of police procedure across Europe. While Britain’s autonomy with regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights is respected, the purpose of the charter is harmonise European industrial relations law.

It is these measures that would make me fight for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. It is a real shame that the Liberal Democrats and in particular, our member of parliament are opposing a referendum. This will mean loosing control over these very important laws and regulations for ever. They are playing political games with our future.