In Europe, Not Run By Europe Jun03

On the High Street in Newmarket and Haverhill and in the shops and pubs of West Suffolk villages, I found hardly anyone who could tell me anything about the Laeken Convention deliberating on the future of Europe. This Convention, chaired by ex-French President Giscard D'Estaing and attended by over 120 national and European Parliamentarians from 25 European countries, has sat for over 18 months to map out the form of EU institutions to accommodate 10 new members and to identify which policies can be determined by national parliaments. These politicians, supported by an army of bureaucrats, are drafting a "Constitution" for what they think will be a "United States of Europe"!

 

The United Kingdom has the oldest and most stable democratic system of government in Europe. Many existing EU members and almost all the new applicant countries have experienced occupations, revolutions, civil wars and economic collapse. The UK has a stable and prosperous  economy with a low level of unemployment. Why should we be dictated to by an amalgam of European countries who seek security in a faceless, unelected government in Brussels that they can trust more than their own national government?

 

Our Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, must consult our people through public debate, with government ministers appearing on television to explain in simple English what changes are being proposed. Mr. Blair must seek consensus and approval by offering a referendum on the Convention. People in West Suffolk will not accept an open commitment allowing the European Commission to erode our national sovereignty and reduce our Westminster Parliament to the status of a district council!

 

The majority of our people say:-

  1. NO to a European Constitution and a federal United States of Europe.

  2. NO to a single legal identity for the EU if it threatens our seat at the UN Security Council and our independence within NATO.

  3. NO to a legally binding Charter of Fundamental Rights if it overrides our national legislation for social and employment policies.

  4. NO to a common Foreign and Defence Policy if it removes Westminster's control on the UK's international relations.

  5. NO to a common Home Affairs and Immigration Policy if it means loss of our national parliament's control on asylum seekers and immigrants coming to settle in Britain.

 

  1. YES to a new Treaty to incorporate all previous treaties - preferably in simple understandable English.

  2. YES to co-operation - not integration - in areas of mutual benefit e.g. trade, environment, transport, sharing intelligence to control drug and criminal gangs.

  3. YES to more accountability, transparency and efficiency to give value for money to EU taxpayers.

  4. YES to achieving a true single open and competitive market in goods and services, including financial services.

  5. YES to reform of EU institutions to reduce bureaucracy and legislation that neither create jobs nor add value or quality to our lives.

 

Mr. Blair, the people of West Suffolk are united in keeping the UK in Europe, but we do not want Europe to run our government and our lives!