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John Mills
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Gordon, it could all come down to EU on this one!
Following promises of a referendum, a European constitution is sneaking in through the back door, writes John Mills
THE next few days are likely to be very crucial. At a European Union summit meeting to be held in Brussels today (Thursday) and tomorrow there is every likelihood that a deal will be stitched up on the EU Constitution which was roundly rejected by the French and Dutch two years ago.
Almost exactly the same proposals that were voted down then will be back on the table.
Furthermore, agreement to proceed is likely to be reached without any effort at all being made to secure democratic endorsement. On the contrary, every effort will be made to stop electorates being consulted.
How on Earth has this been allowed to happen? The last two Labour Party election manifestos solemnly promised a referendum before any more powers were transferred from Westminster to Brussels.
The Liberal Democrats told us that, even though they supported many of the Constitution proposals, they thought a referendum to endorse them was essential. Now, however, all these commitments are being swept aside by a transparent subterfuge.
Instead of having a new Constitution, we are told that we are going to have an Amending Treaty. Changing the name, however, has done nothing to alter any of the substance.
At the Summit Meeting this week, it is very likely that a new voting system will be agreed which will end Britain’s veto in many areas including justice and home affairs.
The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights will become British law, fundamentally changing the relationship between the citizen and the state. The EU will in future have a Foreign Minister and will be able to sign treaties as a single body on our behalf.
These are not minor adjustments. They are crucially important changes.
Unfortunately, these proposals are all of a pattern with many others we have seen over the years as power seeps away from our own elected representatives at Westminster to the unelected officials who run the EU Commission. Nowadays some 70 per cent of all legislation emanates from Brussels and not from our own Parliament. Regulations from the EU cover everything from what the Royal Mail can and cannot do to how the railways have to operate, from how many hours we can work to what we have to do to buy or sell a house.
Although the familiar forms of parliament, our judicial system and our civil service look the same, in fact their functions have dramatically altered.
Instead of being in the hands of people we elect and can reject, they are now very largely controlled by officials in Brussels who have never been elected and whom nobody can dismiss.
This week, further major steps down this road are almost certain to be taken.
It is extraordinary that this is being allowed to happen without any attempt to pay attention to public opinion.
A recent poll showed that 83 per cent of the British electorate is opposed to further powers being transferred to the EU without the promised referendum taking place.
Even among the minority who favour further integrating Britain into the EU there are many who realise that driving the currently proposed changes through without public support is counter-productive.
It may well be the case that the EU needs to find new ways to run itself, but this is no argument for implementing changes which widely lack support. Still less should British politicians implement proposals against which our electorate feels so strongly.
So what can stop them happening? Only a Parliamentary revolt.
As Tony Blair hands over to Gordon Brown, the new Prime Minister is going to face a cruel dilemma and so are a large number of MPs. Can they really welch on the promised referendum? Should they allow their already greatly reduced powers to be further diminished? Do they further erode the electorate’s trust in their elected representatives by flouting opinions held right across the political spectrum that Parliament’s powers should not be given away without democratic consent?
Time will tell, but the omens do not look very promising.
Democratic control of our affairs – not just in form, but in substance – which took so long to build in Britain, looks like continuing slowly to fade away.
Much too large a move in the wrong direction is all too likely to take place this week.
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