The EU is totally different from the one we joined 46 years ago

Well here’s my tuppenceworth after doing just that.

The UK had been committed by Tony Blair to a referendum on the Constitution. (Later reneged upon). 75% of people of Europe wanted a referendum. The Dutch and the French had already voted against the EU constitution in their referendums in 2005 and the Irish did so in 2008.

It was only the desire to do away with referendums which motivated the minor differences between the EU Constitution and the Reform Treaty, later known as the Lisbon Treaty which was only billed as amendments to the constitution.

Thus, countries were able to avoid referendums by claiming the Lisbon Treaty was only about amendments to already existing treaties.

I don’t believe the many prime ministers and foreign ministers including our David Miliband had read the text they signed on Thursday 13 December, 2007.

The public was not involved either. ‘Sign first – without reading and understanding’ was the principle rigidly followed.

Now we cannot change anything important with our votes.

Instead of a close cooperation, the EU is turning itself into a European state that is run by small committees of top politicians and civil servants whether voters want it or not and there is not one single example on a national law which can not be touched by the Lisbon Treaty.

The right of legislative initiative rests solely with the non-elected Commission.

Judgments of the European Court of Justice take precedence over all national laws.

In none of the areas covered by the treaties can we achieve a standard of rights other than that laid down by the Union’s authorities and the Union’s Court – unless we leave the EU altogether.

The EEC that our country joined 46 years ago has changed completely and continues to do so.

If I thought there was any hope of change towards greater democracy I would not want to leave now but David Cameron’s “negotiations” proved that this is not possible.

Christopher Coleman

Valley View

Litlington

Polegate