Ex-soldier to lead Libertas battle in UK
Wednesday March 11 2009
LIBERTAS founder Declan Ganley has announced that a former soldier will head his party's European elections campaign in Britain.
He said yesterday that it would provide British voters with their "last and best chance" to send out a message that they did not support the Lisbon Treaty, which has been ratified by 25 EU states but cannot enter into force until it has been approved by Irish voters.
The leader of Libertas UK will be Robin Matthews, a former soldier who left the British army last year after more than 20 years' service in countries such as Bosnia and Afghanistan.
This move comes after Mr Ganley appointed four defence industry heavy hitters to the board of his telecommunications company, Rivada Networks, including General Richard Myers, a former chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff during the invasion of Iraq, and Lord Guthrie, the former British chief of defence staff.
Mr Ganley, who is expected to declare his own candidacy for the European elections in the North West constituency next week, is planning to run anti-Lisbon Treaty candidates across Europe.
Libertas UK leader Robin Matthews said that people who wanted a strong and healthy Europe that is democratic and answerable to them should vote for a Libertas candidate.
"If they do not want Europe to succeed. . . then they should vote for another party."
The launch attracted a sceptical response from other established British political parties.
- Andrew Woodcock and Michael Brennan
