Guy –
You say, “We actually voted in favour of the EU/ECM (I voted against…)”.
When was that exactly?
You also say “I believe the change in administration in the EU is entirely justified and I support most if not all of the progress it embodies, and frankly this is much ado about not much.”
Are you aware of what this “change” implies?
I think you’re wrong that this matter is “much ado about not much” because:
- The mandate and IGC 2004 create the legal basis for the EU to be superior to and separate from its 27 Member States. In effect, the EU’s laws and authority will be superior to national laws and constitutions. Until now, the EU hasn’t had corporate existence in its own right. The EU has only been a descriptive term (hence the Maastricht Treaty being a ‘Treaty on European Union’, not one ‘of European Union’). The latest mandate and IGC 2004 take Maastricht further – a de facto union – with an EU president, effective foreign minister, diplomatic corps, legislative, executive and judicial power, all areas of public policy coming under EU power and us – you and me – as de facto EU citizens under EU law.
- More lawmaking power will be given to the EU (in 50-odd areas of public policy such as science, sport, energy, public health and transport). The unelected EU Commission will have the sole role of proposing law in these new areas (emphasis on ‘unelected’).
- The Council of Ministers will be the primary focus for creating these news laws. This is because the Council will, for the first time, have a legal and official basis. As a legal entity, the elected heads of the 27 Member States will be required to show primary loyalty to the EU – not the people at home who elected them (emphasis on ‘primary loyalty’).
- Members States will lose the right to be permanently represented on the EU Commission. This may be detrimental to smaller countries, already stymied by proposals to give bigger EU Member States more weight in passing EU law. Further down the line, should Turkey accede to the Union, it would likely be the poorest and weightiest Member State.
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I could go on but fear I’ve lost everybody already. If you’re fine with all the above Guy, that’s great – a happy citizen.
I just think people should be presented with the proposed changes openly and clearly. I’m suspicious of the disingenuous and unseemly haste this is being rushed through.
I also believe that the citizens affected by these massive changes should be given a vote on whether they’re comfortable with them. |
| Topic | Date Posted | Posted By |
| Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 23/06/07 18:27:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 23/06/07 18:42:00 | Jerry Makides |
| Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 23/06/07 18:46:00 | Jan Jarvis |
| Re:Re:Ireland to hold Referendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 23/06/07 18:49:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:Ireland to hold Referendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 23/06/07 19:06:00 | Helen Fogarth |
| Re:Re:Re:Ireland to hold Referendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 23/06/07 19:10:00 | Jan Jarvis |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Ireland to hold Referendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 23/06/07 19:17:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Ireland to hold Referendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 23/06/07 22:02:00 | Jan Jarvis |
| media manipulation | 23/06/07 22:18:00 | Jerry Makides |
| Re:media manipulation | 25/06/07 11:18:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Ireland to hold Referendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 25/06/07 12:23:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 24/06/07 09:24:00 | Peter G Boardman |
| Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 24/06/07 10:21:00 | Peter John |
| Re:Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 24/06/07 22:03:00 | Richard Greenhough |
| Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 25/06/07 12:36:00 | Will Watson |
| Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 25/06/07 13:46:00 | Richard Greenhough |
| Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 25/06/07 13:54:00 | Helen Fogarth |
| After Iraq, can we trust Blair anymore ? | 25/06/07 14:28:00 | David Giles |
| Re:After Iraq, can we trust Blair anymore ? | 25/06/07 14:49:00 | Jonathan Bingham |
| Re:Re:After Iraq, can we trust Blair anymore ? | 25/06/07 17:09:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:After Iraq, can we trust Blair anymore ? | 25/06/07 17:24:00 | Will Watson |
| Re:A form of democracy | 25/06/07 17:44:00 | Richard Greenhough |
| Re:Re:A form of democracy | 25/06/07 17:56:00 | Will Watson |
| Re:After Iraq, can we trust Blair anymore ? | 25/06/07 17:50:00 | John Mc Cann |
| Re:Re:After Iraq, can we trust Blair anymore ? | 25/06/07 17:53:00 | Richard Greenhough |
| Re:Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 25/06/07 14:31:00 | Will Watson |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 25/06/07 14:37:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| A shift in sovereignty | 25/06/07 14:54:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| “The proposals that we dare not present to them directly” | 25/06/07 15:11:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| “Psychological terrorists” and the “new form of democracy” | 25/06/07 15:29:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Britain has not had a Referendum on Europe since 6th June 1975 | 25/06/07 18:12:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Britain has not had a Referendum on Europe since 6th June 1975 | 25/06/07 19:53:00 | Guy Lambert |
| Same old conservatives | 26/06/07 09:15:00 | Stephen Thornton |
| It's not about the Conservatives | 26/06/07 11:27:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Re:Same old conservatives | 26/06/07 13:19:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Same old conservatives | 26/06/07 14:00:00 | Stephen Thornton |
| Re:Re:Re:Same old conservatives | 26/06/07 16:53:00 | David Giles |
| Re:What we voted on in 1975 | 26/06/07 14:19:00 | Richard Greenhough |
| The devil's in the detail | 26/06/07 16:40:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 26/06/07 20:38:00 | David Giles |
| Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 26/06/07 21:56:00 | John Mc Cann |
| Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 26/06/07 22:20:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 26/06/07 23:01:00 | Jerry Makides |
| Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 08:57:00 | Guy Lambert |
| Responding to Jerry: “The end of democracy” | 27/06/07 12:17:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Responding to Jerry: “totalitarianism” | 27/06/07 12:27:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Responding to Jerry: “Loss of freedom” | 27/06/07 12:36:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Responding to Jerry: The EU, prosperity and peace in Europe | 27/06/07 12:54:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 12:59:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 13:17:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 15:55:00 | Guy Lambert |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 18:02:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 18:53:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 21:39:00 | Guy Lambert |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 21:47:00 | John Mc Cann |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 21:52:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 22:03:00 | John Mc Cann |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:It maybe called a Treaty but its the same Constitution | 27/06/07 22:54:00 | Guy Lambert |
| Legal opinion wanted | 27/06/07 23:16:00 | Peter John |
| Re:Legal opinion wanted | 27/06/07 23:40:00 | John Mc Cann |
| Re:Re:Legal opinion wanted | 28/06/07 09:57:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Re:Re:Re:Legal opinion wanted | 28/06/07 10:52:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Legal opinion wanted | 28/06/07 12:36:00 | Colin Jordan |
| The threat to the British Constitution and Parliament | 28/06/07 17:46:00 | David Giles |
| Re:The threat to the British Constitution and Parliament | 28/06/07 22:33:00 | Guy Lambert |
| Re:Re:The threat to the British Constitution and Parliament | 29/06/07 00:05:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Legal opinion wanted | 29/06/07 11:08:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Legal opinion wanted | 29/06/07 12:22:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| A Good Week to Bury Really Bad News | 29/06/07 17:59:00 | David Giles |
| Labour Party calls for Referendum | 30/06/07 17:22:00 | David Giles |
| Trade Union calls for Referendum | 11/07/07 20:24:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Trade Union calls for Referendum | 16/10/07 22:02:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 04/07/07 19:35:00 | Peter G Boardman |
| Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 04/07/07 20:36:00 | Helen Fogarth |
| Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 04/07/07 22:25:00 | Will Watson |
| Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 05/07/07 08:25:00 | Peter John |
| Re:Re:Re:Ireland to hold Refendum on new EU Treaty - should the UK ? | 05/07/07 18:46:00 | David Giles |
| EU to pay Wine Producers to give up producing bad wine | 06/07/07 18:14:00 | David Giles |
| For Guy: France, Germany and the stability pact | 12/07/07 11:19:00 | Fraser Pearce |
| Re:For Guy: France, Germany and the stability pact | 12/07/07 12:22:00 | Guy Lambert |
| Britain's Seat on the UN Security Council | 05/08/07 20:07:00 | David Giles |
| Re:Britain's Seat on the UN Security Council | 05/08/07 20:29:00 | Colin Jordan |
| Re:Re:For Guy: France, Germany and the stability pact | 06/08/07 15:12:00 | David Giles |
| Can we trust Gordon Brown on this issue ? | 15/10/07 18:36:00 | David Giles |
| Referendum | 17/10/07 09:22:00 | Brendan McCarthy |