Are you In or Out? Deciding Britain's Future in the European Union.

I start with a mention of the year 1975.  Britain gripped by the post war concensus, the Labour party were in power under Harold Wilson and a pint of milk cost just 7p.

The Conservatives commit to offering In/Out Referendum.  

Alot has changed since then, not just in the United Kingdom, but in the rest of the world. But the year 1975 was the last time the people of the UK were given a say on the membership of the European Union. We are now presented with a situation at home where a whole generation of Britons have never been given a choice over Europe.
It simply cannot be expressed enough just how much has changed. The European Comunnity (EC) was originally founded after the Second World War, the peoples' of Europe would never again fall at the hands of fascism, never again would the peoples' of Europe be oppressed.

The United Kingdom entered the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973 and was initially a common market, but we have seen over the decades political and monetary union.
The Maarstricht Treaty in 1993 gave us the introduction of the single currency and a number of employment law provisions right up to the Lisbon Treaty, effectively deemed the 'Constitutional Treaty.' 
From a legal perspective, there is a well known phrase that every law student or practising lawyer will be aware, where domestic law and European Union law conflict, EU law shall prevail. This is the effect that the EU has in that it penetrates domestic law and during the 1980's, the European Court of Justice set aside a peice of legislation (Merchant Shipping Act 1988) because it did not comply with European Union law. (The case of Factortame). This legislation was passed by the sovereign Parliament.
There are those, however, who would argue that the penetration of European Union law into domestic law is the will of Parliament, because legislation would have to have been passed through in order for EU law to have supremacy, but if the United Kingdom had not enacted treaties, for example, into domestic law, then would the UK have credibly been able to continue to be a member? Would the UK have been forced out? This is why it is crucial now to take the debate to the country.

The Coalition government has introduced the referendum lock (s2(2) European Union Act 2011) in which if there is ever a new treaty which seeks to amend or replace the Treaty on European Union (TFEU) the British people will have the power to accept or decline the treaty in a referendum.
This move brings Europe closer to us, we are able to have a say on laws which are decided in Europe, and historically, have been rushed through Parliament with no consideration for the consultation of the British people. But we must, as a country, go further.

Not only has a lot changed in Britain since 1975, but our relationship with the European Union has changed and if we simply kick this issue into the long grass, so to speak, then we risk subjecting our children to the ever changing and complicated relationship with the European Union and even our children will be denied the chance to voice their opinion. This ceases to remain an issue of whether one is simply for the membership of the European Union and those who are strongly opposed, or even those who occupy a centre ground that Britain's membership is important, but there must be reform. This is about giving people a say on Britain's future of the European Union.


UKIP advocate an immediate withdrawal from the EU

We have seen in recent weeks the rise of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) who pledge that they would withdraw immediately from the European Union. Where will they stand, when the people of the United Kingdom are given the opportunity to vote in a referendum should there be a Conservative government returned at the next general election in 2015? What will their policy change to?  The issue is, that the UK Independence Party exist purely to oppose the European Union. If we decide to leave the EU, will UKIP serious continue to be the great libertarian party that it claims to be. Will UKIP establish some real ec
onomic policies which rival that of Ed Balls MP in terms of their stupidity. I am of the opinion that this will be very unlikely.

James Wharton MP will lead the charge on an In/Out Referendum

There has come about a real opportunity to make a difference in the form of the Member of Parliament for Stockton South, James Wharton MP, who recently came out on top of the private members ballot. James Wharton has given his intention to bring about the European Union referendum on Britain's membership. He has handed the British people a great opportunity and I trust he will lead the charge and a very effective campaign to argue that it is time for the British people to finally have a say.

I hope that the whole country will be united behind James Wharton by getting in touch with their local Memeber of Parliament and pushing the case for a say on Britain's membership of the European Union. It is time to settle the Europe question once and for all, that time has to be now.

It is time to give a whole generation of Britons, whom have had no say regarding Europe, a real choice about the decisions that will come to affect them and their families as well as securing the best possible deal for the United Kingdom. Regardless of whether people believe Britain should leave, or whether we should be in Europe and fighting for British interests.

You can contact your Member of Parliament to ask that they support the Bill which shall give the British people a say on Britain's membership of the EU;

 



[Name of your MP]

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA.

 

 

If you are unsure of who your Member of Parliament is then you can telephone the House of Commons Information Office on: 020 7219 4272.

 

Or alternatively, visit www.parliament.uk