Rochdale MEP believes EU will survive

Date published: 13/06/2008

Rochdale's MEP Chris Davies has said that the European Union will "muddle on" despite the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by Irish voters.

Although he described the result as disappointing, the Liberal Democrat believes that the EU will not fall apart as a result.

"At its heart the EU is simply a mechanism that allows 27 countries with shared values to work together," he said.

"The process is slow, confused, and occasionally shambolic, but it is the best we have.

"The defeat of the Constitutional Treaty didn't destroy the EU and nor will this reverse. When the fuss has died down, Europe's governments will still have to muddle on together and deal with the problems they face in common."