When ‘no’ means . . . nothing

So, after all the shilly-shallying, the flannel, the promises and accusations, we’re all finally clear on one thing at least, writes blogger Emma Suddaby, that whether we should allow our seat of power to pass into European hands or not, was never a choice we were going to be offered.

Gordon Brown’s response to Ireland’s resounding ‘no’ to the Lisbon Treaty, was to declare that the ratification process will go ahead regardless.

And what can we say to that?

Up until this most recent turn of events, we’ve been waiting with bated breath for Ireland’s referendum, sure (or so we thought) in the knowledge that, should they vote ‘no’, the ratification process could not go ahead.

But of course that was based on the rules as we knew them and rules, it seems, are there to be changed…

I suspect that the brave citizens of Ireland will be metaphorically hauled up by their ears and scolded for daring to say what we all think, before being sent to the naughty stair to think about their actions until they can come back with the right answer.

You know, over the years, I’ve noticed that this government, more than any other, are forever banging on about transparency.

They’ve made lots of promises about freedom of information and reassurances about the right of every person to be involved with decision making and to see evidence of exactly how those decisions are made.

Yet, despite this constant jargon we seem to be living through the murkiest, sneakiest, most ‘opaque’ political era ever, where the real workings of government on every level, are very securely veiled from the people.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt that my political opinion was as futile as I feel it is right now.

There was a time when I believed with optimistic innocence, that my views meant something.

I rarely get in a lather over politics but felt confident that if I ever did, someone would take it seriously, if only because I live here too and I believed I was living in a democracy.

The world reels at the brazenly tyrannical reign of President Mugabe, the dictator who, after paying lip service to his people’s right to an election, decided he didn’t like the answer that they gave him after all and has been making sure that, by hook or often brutal crook, he is elected in the run-offs.

And now he’s finally managed to force all of his opponents out of the race for leadership, it looks like he’s won, yet again. His corrupt, deceitful, unethical behaviour causes public outcry again and again, yet the world looks on and allows him to continue railroading his citizens to his own political ends.

Thankfully our government’s political tactics do not include violence and brutality but right now Mr Brown’s farcical democracy is at one extreme end of a scale, at the other end of which lies President Mugabe’s chaotic dictatorship; and we are teetering, dangerously over the edge of that slippery political slope.

Lets hope our Prime Minister manages to regain his footing in time to prevent the ratification of a Treaty which will systematically dismantle our great country, and everything we stand for.

• Inspirational Emma Suddaby shares her ” highs, lows - and various murky places inbetween” - with her blog. Emma, a finalist in the 2007 Shropshire Star Woman of the Year competition, was diagnosed with aggressive, destructive rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 22. She later won a dream flying scholarship with the charity Flying Scholarships for the Disabled and now holds a National Private Pilot’s Licence.