The Referendum on Europe

With Eastleigh in the middle of a referendum on Europe it is perhaps worthwhile thinking about those two questions on the ballot paper:

1. Should the United Kingdom hold a national referendum on the EU’s Lisbon Treaty: yes or no?
2. Should the United Kingdom adopt the EU’s Lisbon treaty: yes or no?

Parliament is currently debating the new European Union Treaty called the Lisbon treaty which would give significant powers to the EU. MPs are going to decide whether Britain should accept the Treaty and whether to give people a say in a national referendum.

Currently most Labour and Lib. Dem MPs are in favour of accepting the European Treaty while many Conservative MPs are opposed to accepting it.

Can we trust the M.P.s to do the right thing? Well first we need to know what people think. That is the reason for having a referendum in 10 constituencies nationally and we are fortunate to be one of those. Our vote is supposed to represent the South East of England.

Personally I am in favour of being in Europe but not ruled by it. As the Lisbon treaty seeks to extend its rule over 60 of our vetoes I am against accepting the Lisbon treaty. In fact I would rather be out of Europe than accept the treaty. Why?

1. A secret European Parliament report has uncovered “extensive, widespread and criminal abuse” by MEPs of staff allowances worth almost £100 m a year. Many are illegally claiming £125 000 a year for staff and then disbursing it as they wish.
2. For 13 years in a row the European Court of Auditors has refused to endorse the European budget. However the MEPs have voted through the money anyway.
3. If MEPs cannot run their own accounts honestly are they the right people to be in charge of our taxes, our foreign policy, our laws and our borders?
4. The Lisbon Treaty will give them 60 new areas where they can make laws that affect us. Britain, by enlarge, obeys these European rulings, the rest of Europe, by enlarge, ignores them. So we as a nation are constantly shooting ourselves in the foot.

May I encourage all my readers to think carefully through these issues, vote in the referendum and make your views known to our MP and ex MEP who is one of the most pro- European people around.