Oct 18 2007
The great EU giveaway by Gordon Brown
There are three simple points to make about today’s likely large giveaway to the EU.
1. The only sure way to defend the so-called red lines (important areas where we need to be self governing) is to keep the veto.
All Gordon has to do to avoid any further rows about whether his red line defences will work or not is to keep an absolute veto for the UK over any proposal in these areas which we do not like.
2. He should resist all further transfers of power to the EU..
He should veto all 50 (government or 60 (Open Europe) areas where the EU is proposing moving to majority voting to make decisions. Hew could allow the others to surrender their vetoes, as long as we keep ours.
3. He should honour his word to hold a referendum on the Treaty, assuming he does not do all of the above.
Why does all this matter?
The argument about red lines has been technical and abstruse - deliberately so on the government’s side to try to prevent a major surge in public demand to veto the Treaty.
Yet it matters greatly. If Brown signs the current version, it could mean in the future amongst other things:
1. Uk oil policy could be dictated by non oil producer members of the EU
2. The EU could decide how we punish criminals
3. The UK will be increasingly forced to accept a pan European foreign policy which may not suit our interests
4. UK social security could be partly decided by a majority vote we had lost (the last emergency brake we had fell off owing to lack of use - it was called the Luxembourg Compromise)
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John Redwood has been the Member of Parliament for Wokingham since 1987. First attending Kent College, Canterbury, he graduated from Magdalen College...
The Labour cabinet is a cabal of mendacious, career politicians whose leader is the worst of all. When they included the pledge to hold a referendum in their last manifesto it was nothing more than a cynical election ploy, which they never intended to honour. Their actions are basically anti-democratic and they treat the British electorate with complete contempt. Brown’s red lines and this week’s EU summit are all a charade - the “deal” has been done already. Once more, without asking the views of the electorate, more of our sovereignty is being surrendered to a body over which the British people have no democratic influence or control. It is outrageous that MPs are prepared to give away these powers which they temporarily hold on our behalf without first obtaining the agreement of the electorate.
“Uk oil policy could be dictated by non oil producer members of the EU”
This is a very important point John, especially as no-one can predict the uncertain future of energy needs.
According to the Sun it is no question about it, the UK oil policy will be directed by the EU - and it will cost.
Brits’
[...] The great EU giveaway by Gordon Brown …by a majority vote we had lost (the last emergency brake we had fell off owing to lack of use - it was called the Luxembourg Compromise) [...]
[...] The great EU giveaway by Gordon Brown to lack of use - it was called the Luxembourg Compromise) [...]