Should we stay or should we go now?
You go away for a few days and it all happens… a referendum on Europe, who’d have thought it. By coincidence I was visiting the European Parliament in Strasbourg when the announcement was made and marvelling at their manic voting system that appears to deal with about 100 votes an hour. This compares with the UK Parliament where each vote takes around 15 minutes to complete so the rate is 4 votes per hour. Both systems serve to frustrate the elected members who have to work with them for different reasons.
I am excited about the referendum proposals as I have thought for some time that we need a public debate on the EU. I hope that the referendum will serve to lance the boil of disquiet about the gap between the people and the European “project” whichever way it goes. It will also mean that we all have to engage in understanding more about how the EU works and the treaties that have already been signed on our behalf by successive Conservative and Labour governments.
Could you tell us what the European Constitution is, as I have found nothing edifying on the topic?
I welcome the chance to decide on the eu constitution for myself. Having not read the document, I am not yet in a position to judge it’s content.
My primary concern is that it could become a de facto ‘Full Constitution’ merely due to it’s existence. If this were to happen, then it would tend to create a European super state, with members being totally subservient. Whether this would be good or bad is not the issue here – the point is that the decision should be made positively, rather than by accident.
My second concern is that the expansion and closer integration of the EU tends to increase the divisions between the EU and the third world. We cannot survive solely as an EU island, but to those outside, it seems we are saying that they are not good enough to be in our cosy club.
I am at least confident that I can express my views openly within most countries of the EU – which is certainly not the case in much of the world.
Mike
Does it matter if we have a vote or not?
The Government will only rig it, and if they don’t they’ll only ignore it.
If big businesses want Britain in Europe, then Britain will go into Europe whether we like it or not, whether we vote no or not.