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A millionaire businessman has won permission to launch a High Court challenge over the Government's refusal to hold a referendum
on the EU Reform Treaty (the Lisbon Treaty).
Stuart Wheeler, a major Conservative Party donor, claims that he had "a legitimate expectation" that Gordon
Brown would hold a vote.
The Government's decision to "resile from their promise" should be declared unlawful, he said.
Mr Justice Owen, sitting at London's High Court, ruled that Mr Wheeler, 73 - who made more than £30 million from spread-betting
firm IG Index - had "an arguable case" that should go to a full hearing.
He has raised £150,000 from 150 donors to pay for his High Court battle.
Mr Wheeler said after gambling thousands of pounds on his bid to obtain permission, and then winning his day in court:
"The Government's lawyers tried to get the case thrown out, maintaining on various grounds that my case was unarguable.
"I am delighted that the judge has decisively rejected that.
"The moral case for a referendum was overwhelming. The legal case is strong, based upon a series of promises to the
electorate.
"The legal premise of the case is that it is in the interests of good administration that the Government should implement
their promises, unless there is a sound reason not to. No reason has been given."
The full hearing is expected to take place at the High Court in London on June 9-10.
(The above article is extracted from a Press Association newswire May 2 2008)
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