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Let the people decide on Europe
Could I alert your readers to the campaign for a referendum on our membership of the European Union (www.haveyoursay.eu)?
Britain is currently half in the EU and half out, and whatever your viewpoint, that is no good for ourselves or the rest of Europe.
Some people think Britain should come out all together and go back to making our own laws and trading with whosoever we wish – being out of Europe doesn’t mean we couldn’t trade with them.
Other people think Britain should go further, transferring government from Westminster to Brussels and abandoning the pound in favour of the Euro.
Either way, those of us in favour of a referendum think it is something the people should be allowed to decide.
It is, after all, a far more important subject than “alternative voting” that was put to the public earlier this month.
The three main political parties think we can’t be trusted with such a decision, and that’s patronising, insulting and just plain wrong.
Nevertheless, the coalition government has said that any petition that secures more than 100,000 signatures will be eligible for a formal debate in parliament, and the campaign is already halfway towards that target.
The English Democrats believe we should be out of Europe completely, and we know there are plenty of people who vote for the main parties who agree on that point – it’s a shame their parties don’t!
Key political figures, such as Kate Hoey (Labour) and Philip Davies (Conservative), have “broken ranks” and support the campaign for a referendum, though.
The English people are trusting, tolerant and generous, but history has shown that when we are pushed too far, we fight back, and when we fight back, we win!
I would urge anyone – for or against the EU – who thinks we should be allowed a say on our membership to sign the petition.
You can contact the campaign office on 0800 157 7916, or at eureferendum@gmail.com
Simon Potter
English Democrats
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Comments
There are 14 comments to this article
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Dalek Sec
Friday, May 27, 2011 at 08:01 AMI think that the same people that say "get out of the EU" are the same people that would whinge when EU countries gave other EU countries plum trade deals rather than give them to a non-EU UK. If we did leave, we must make sure that the government doesn't replace subsidies currently paid by the EU - let businesses succeed or fail on their own merit!
ladyska
Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 01:40 PMApparently it cost over 45 million a day just to be in this EU club, what do we get out of it? Haven't we already paid a huge share of money out to other countries in difficulty and loads of cash for other things, such as farmers in Spain etc..? I've also read from a trustworthy source (not the sun) that councils are being bullied into flying the EU flag from council buildings and if they don't then the councils get a hefty fine. I really have seen no benefit to being in this club. Britain is totally skint yet we think it's ok to waste so much money just because our government is to scared to say "Well actually we need this £45 million per day for our own schools, hospitals, police, army, etc. It seems to make so much more financial sense to leave the EU well alone then paying this out and then paying more on top of that. when I aksed Mr Cameron why this was the case, he was on TV the very next day saying that he also thought we paid too much into the EU, well excuse me for thinking he actually ran this country and could do something about it. As for a referendum just look at some of the local referendums that have taken place across East Anglia that have been ignored,simply because the result was not what the government wanted. Kings Cliffe toxic waste to name one of them. They'll just do what they did in Ireland and make you keep voting until they get the results they want, failing that they will just go ahead and ignore the voters who put these morons in charge in the first place and do what the hell they like! One easy option though is to not give us the referendum at all and give us a referendum on something totally irrelevant instead! Oh they did that already
GeeGee
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 07:22 PMSome years ago whilst debating the pros and cons of EEC (as then was) membership with a continental family member I was told we were needed to keep Germany and France under some measure of control. Germany has a powerful manufacturing base and France will do just what is best for France. The EU just wants our financial contribution. Say what you will Maggie had the right idea in these matters. At #9 - I agree about our losing a manufacturing capability. That's why I'm always rabbitng on about new businesses coming into Peterborough are just warehousing for the balance of trade defecit.
nice and normal
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 11:45 AM'we could still trade with Europe if we pulled out of the EU'... well, yes, in theory, but we wouldnt as the tariffs and non-compliance with EU regs would mean it wouldnt happen. This is why referendums are dangerous - people are spectacularly naive.
The Admiral
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 01:35 AMRichard - I seem to remember voting for membership of the European Economic Community - NOT the European Union which is like a bankrupt company, bringing in more and more countries to spread the financial load. ....Churchill suggested a United States of Europe in 1946 but due to the unholy pact between Germany and France we were frozen out. There is a belief that the EU was actually a proposal by Hitler to allow Germany to retain a stranglehold over Europe once things had settled down after he kicked us out of France. Germany is still the powerhouse on which the whole thing centres. ..Pull out and we would retain our trading with the EU, our current membership doesn't give us any special rights in trade. Despite the red-tops bleating we still have "mountains" of stuff going into intervention and people like the Greeks claiming for subsidies on land that is under water. We havent had the French foisting their apples and lamb on us recently.. ...
Richard Olive
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 10:14 PMRe GeeGee comments. As I understand the situation the monies we have agreed to help get Eire get out of its economic difficulties are only pledges, ie the UK becomes guarantors to allow Eire to borrow more monies. We only have to cough up if the Irish economy defaults on the repayments. Hopefully this will not occur. And I believe the same is true of Greece and Portugal. Possibly we won't have to cough up a penny in supporting these 3 countries so you cannot assume we have provided £12b to the EC at this stage. Trading with Brazil, India and China. It's most likely that the bulk of the trade will be with the USA. These 3 counties will be mainly wanting domestic type goods and the UK has mostly lost its manufacturing base for these.
GeeGee
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 07:09 PMThe emerging - or already emerged - economies of China, India, Brazil et al would make very good trading partners. The Coalition is trying to save £12 billion but our contribution to three failing economies in Eurozone will cost the UK that much and we are not even in the Euro!! We think the self serving MP's at Westminster are bad, but we elected them. Check out the gravy train for MEP's and the unelected bureaucrats that are taking more and more contol of our lives. No - enough is enough.
Ordinary Bloke in the Real World
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 05:52 PMIf we left the EU, we could still trade with Europe. Why do so many people think they'd instantly stop buying our goods? That would be just plain stupid. I googled "how much does membership of EU cost" and got this: The total gross cost to the UK of EU membership in 2008 they estimate at around £65,000,000,000 - including: £28 billion for business to comply with EU regulations, £17 billion of additional food costs resulting from the Common Agricultural Policy £3.3 billion - the value of the catch lost when the Common Fisheries Policy let other countries fish in our territorial waters £14.6 billion gross paid into the EU budget and other EU funds.
Richard Olive
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 03:25 PMIn 1973 Edward Heath and the Conservatives took us into the EEC. In 1975 there was a referendum to ask us whether we wanted to remain in the EEC. 67% voted 'yes' and Harold Wilson of the Labour Party hailed the result a great success. I voted against. The UK broke it's trading links with the British Commonwealth and EFTA ( European free Trade Association). My concern is who would we trade with if we now came out of Europe? 57% of our exports currently go to Europe (and 2% to Switzerland). I suppose we could go back to trading with EFTA but the only members now are Switzerland, Leichtenstein, Iceland and Norway. Not a real substitute for the EC. Could we still trade with Europe? Yes I suppose so but we would not benefit from preferential rates and trading agreements. So does anyone have any suggestions re. trading partners? I'm sure our trade would suffer tremendously if we left the EC. One alternative could be for the UK to become more self sufficient and adopt the Steady State Economy. Anyone support this concept? Unfortunately much of the discussion about leaving the EC revolves around a fervent support of nationalism which is no substitute for a sound economy. Bottom line: is there really any point in having a referendum if we don't know what we'd put back in place of the EC?
Dalek Sec
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 01:10 PMI've thought a lot about this over the years and believe our trade links withEurope are too great for us to come out - I would like to see us get out of this so-called "special relationship" with the USA though - that brings nothing but trouble!
Fish
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 11:55 AMIf we left Europe, would there be any chance of us joining a warmer continent. More seriously Europe provides big economic benefits and as we become less significant in the world it gives us greater influence. It might be expensive and intrusive but in the whole we are better off in than out.
The Admiral
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 11:10 AMNothing wrong with the other EU countries. They are mostly fine generous people with good food, good wine and (usually) better weather than us poor northern souls. Mind you I wouldn't mind if we could still get 1.4 euro's to the pound. ......As to meddling beaureaucrats and self serving MEP's on the gravy train - thats another matter entirely
IwantobeHomeSecretary
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 11:02 AMYou can count me in on this. One of our recently elected councillors once told me in answer to my question what was in it (Europe) for us,,after he had had to pause for a while to think about it, that we would not go to war again. So don't expec wonders from Peterborough City Council any time soon.
eggcraft
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 10:10 AMWe should come out of the EU - sorted
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