As I'm sure most of your are aware, I consider myself human first, European second and British third. The European Union is something I deeply respect, even if I do think it needs serious reform.
However the constant debate and cynicism caused by the Eurosceptic "majority" (yet to be tested) in this country is causing our political system to stagnant as we just go over the same old arguments time and again.
It's time we put a stop to this with a referendum. The original referendum was for entry into a body that no longer exists (the EEC). It's time we had a referendum on whether to stay in or pull out of the EU.
The Lib Dems are the only people willing to say the time is now. But the Eurosceptics are too scared, because whilst they know their rhetoric wins them votes, leaving the EU would be to our detriment and not our betterment and the sceptics know it.
It's time to put your money where your mouths are. It's time we end this bloody debate once and for all.
I have always been, and remain, very much in favour of the EU (just as I was of the EU before it).
ReplyDeleteI was even in favour of an EU Constitution, although when I read, exhaustively, the one drawn up by Giscard d'Estaing and a team from various member countries I decided that this was not the right document for us to ratify; if we had ever been offered a referendum I, even with my long-standing pro-EU bias, would have voted 'no' to that constitution, just as voters in two of the EEC founding member states, France and the Netherlands, voted against it.
I have also read, exhaustively, the latest Lisbon Treaty and it is indeed, as many others have stated, almost indistinguishable in its most important areas, from the rejected Constitution.
Why do I object to the Constitution and to the Lisbon Treaty, as written, though? Basically because I believe that such an important document to so many people (not far short of 400 million at present, more like 450 million if Turkey ever joins) should be much more readily comprehensible by ordinary people. A good model would be the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights (ie. ther first 10 amendments), plus the later amendments, suitably modified for the different forms of government in the various European states; a basic requirement would be to change, for example, the clause in the US Constitution that requires a republican form of government not only at Federal level, but in the individual States, to cater for the fact that not all EU member states have a republican form of government. The present hotch-potch of a Constitution (aka 'Lisbon Treaty') is fiendishly complex; it took me months to read and digest both these documents and even now I don't fully comprehend much beyond its general outline - I think this is the way it has been designed, quite deliberately, by the European Commission and by EU bureaucrats, so that the ordinary is effectively denied the opportunity to monitor what they are doing in our names. Whatever else this is it is not aimed at making the EU more democratic and accountable; it is incredible that the EU's accounts have been deemed unsatisfactory, and have been denied certification, by the EU's own Coourt of Auditors every year for well over a decade and that nothing is being done to bring this situation under control.
I think it is completely disingenuous for the LibDems to attempt to claim that it is only euro-sceptics (specially most Conservatives) who are opposed to the Treaty and that the desire for a referendum is really only a feint to cover their real desire to leave the EU.
Undoubtedly there are some people who do wish to leave the EU; I am definitely not one of them nor do I believe there is anyone in a senior position in the Conservative Party who thinks this way either. Most mainstream people from all major parties want us to remain in the EU. What I want is a referendum so that we are permitted to vote on the Lisbon Treaty; if the vote is in favour of ratification, then so be it. What are the government, and the LibDems afraid of?
PS/ Nick Clegg looked, I'm sorry to say, like a rabbit caught before headlights on 'Newsnight' tonight under Paxo's grilling. I was sorry about this as I was really interested to hear what he might have to say and hoped that he might be able to have me understand his reasoning better, but I'm afraid I don't think he gave a very good account of himself. Did you see him tonight, and if so do you think he did? Have you read both the rejected Constitutional Treaty and the Lisbon Treaty yourself?
Sorry I've gone on at such length ;)
An excellent, and short, constitution for the EU is presented by www.FreeEurope.info
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