Your Say

02/02/2004
Let the People Have their Say
Launch of Welsh Campaign by Jonathan Evans MEP

Welsh Conservative MEP, Jonathan Evans – Leader of the Conservative group in the European Parliament – will launch this Friday (6th February) in Cardiff a campaign urging the Welsh public to call for a referendum on the European Constitution.

It follows an extensive advertising campaign in key Welsh newspapers and is in advance of an Action Day on the Saturday (7th February) throughout Welsh Parliamentary Constituencies.

Mr. Evans said: "We believe the British Government is wrong in refusing to allow a referendum on the EU Constitution. Whatever the Prime Minister may claim, the Conservative MEP team believes that the introduction of an EU Constitution would have a profound effect on all our lives. That is why we, and almost 1.7 million people, voted in a national newspaper's referendum on this issue last year. Of this huge number, an overwhelming nine out of ten said that they wanted a chance to vote on whether an EU Constitution should be imposed on us. Recent polling has shown exactly the same result. Despite this, the Government insists that the British people should have no right to an opinion on Europe.

"Many people still have little idea of what is being fashioned in their name. The Prime Minister claims that the Constitution is simply a "tidying up exercise". This is an amazing way to describe proposals which would see Foreign and Security issues decided by the European Union. Europe would also gain "exclusive competence" to negotiate and sign all international agreements, including those covering domestic policy issues such as criminal justice. Social policy, health, transport and energy will become "shared competences" so that Member States may only pass laws where the EU has decided not to do so.

"The Prime Minister insists these are "trivial" matters, so why does our postbag reflect the fact that the overwhelming majority of the British people fundamentally disagrees?

"Overall, the ancient English Common Law that has served us so well for centuries will be subsumed into European Law, with the result that we will be bound to harmonise our law with theirs.

"In the months ahead, we will be doing all we can to campaign for a referendum on an EU Constitution. The Government must not be allowed to reduce the United Kingdom to a bit-part player in the European superstate without the express support of the British people, who show every indication that they do not want such a policy. We intend to do all we can to shame the Government into holding a referendum."

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