LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER FROM LORD STODDART OF SWINDON

LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER FROM LORD STODDART OF SWINDON, REGARDING THE EU CONSTITUTION AND THE DECISIONS MADE AT EUROPEAN COUNCIL

The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair MP,
Prime Minister,
10, Downing Street,
London SW1A 2AA

24th June 2005

Dear Prime Minister

The decision of the European Council to extend the ratification period for the European Constitutional Treaty to the year 2007 is puzzling to say the least since ratification requires all twenty five Member Countries to ratify in accordance with their own procedures. Since France and the Netherlands have clearly and decisively, by referendum, declined to ratify the Treaty it should have been declared dead.

The fact that, with your agreement, the Treaty is still alive and on the agenda is bound to give rise to suspicions that there will be attempts to circumvent the decisions of the people of France and The Netherlands and to deny the British people the opportunity to give their decision through a referendum. The authority being cited for deferring ratification appears to be a provision in the Constitutional Treaty that allowed Member States and the European Council to reconsider the matter in 2006 if all countries had not said Yes. Since the Treaty cannot now be ratified due to the French and Dutch No’s how can a provision in the Treaty be invoked to keep it alive, although it is effectively dead? Perhaps you will let me have answer to this conundrum.

There is also grave concern that new items in the Constitutional Treaty could be, indeed, are being introduced by the back door, items such as powers being exercised by the “EU Foreign Minister”, the setting up of EU Embassies in various parts of the world, the setting up a European Space Agency, the setting up of a European Defence Agency and the power of the EU to dictate to Member States on judicial procedures to be followed in their own countries.

The EU Institutions seem to grind on no matter what happens or whether they have the lawful authority to implement some of these measures. I would be grateful for your comments about these and other powers being pushed forward by the EU and explain why this does not rob the British people of their say in the future of Europe and negate your own and the Government’s promise that the Treaty would not be ratified.

Both you and the Foreign Secretary have called for a fundamental review of the EU which will be welcomed by those who have been long time opponents of deeper integration and wish to return to a position of a basic free trade area combined with voluntary co-operation between the nations of Europe on a bi-lateral or multilateral basis – a position which I believe is that of the majority of the electorate.

Eurosceptic organisations which are members of the Alliance and those who are not, would like to be consulted about the review and to make their contribution as to what the future should hold for Britain and Europe. After all, we are entitled to claim that we have been correct in our assessment of matters European in many areas, including the single currency. Perhaps you and the Government would now start listening to those voices rather than simply adopting the policies of people and organisations that believe in continuing integration leading to a single European state.

I look forward to your reply.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon
Chairman – Alliance Against the European Constitution
House of Lords
London SW1

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