| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:How did we get into Europe ?(Ann Keen Votes against Labour Party Manifesto) | |
| Posted by: | Sam Hearn Cllr | |
| Date/Time: | 11/03/08 11:55:00 |
| I am in favour of a referendum - as I thought all three major political parties were at the last general election. I see the need for a new constitution so that the affairs of the much enlarged Union can be managed more efficiently. That does not make me automatically in favour of the "treaty" that is on offer. My hope was that during a referendum campaign the main arguments for and against would be rehearsed and I would be able to make an informed decision. Of course each side would present its case strongly and I would have to sift the wheat from the chaff. The EU is not popular with many people. Most people believe that it is remote from them and that they can have little impact on its decision making processes - it is too large and the democratic deficit too great(i.e. there is a lack of control by elected reprsentatives). Here, with the referendum was a golden opportunity for those who believe that the EU does, on balance, do a good job to state their case and explain what the benefits of a new constitution would be. Instead the decision will in practice be made by a ruling party that lacks all credibility with the electorate and would probably lose an election if it was called tomorrow. I feel rather let down by the whole affair somewhat as I did when it became clear that there were no weapons of mass disruption in Iraq and that thousands of innocent lives were being lost in vain. The politicians involved are clearly people that no one should ever put their trust in again. |