Market debate
From Miss D. Vigne Smith Sir: When the Tory government under Mr Heath was accused of breaking the promise not to commit us irrevocably to full political integration with Europe without the "full-hearted consent of the British people," the indignant retort was that Parliament had passed the Bill and that Parliament is sovereign.
But full political integration would hand over the sovereignty of Parliament — for ever — to bureaucrats in Brussels ' (and Whitehall is quite bad enough!) over whom the British people have no control whatsoever, so that never again would Parliament have the last word on British policies but would acquire the status of a subservient European District Council.
If the pro-Marketeers are so keen to rush us into this multi-national straitjacket it seems a little odd that they seek to justify their action with a passionate defence of Parliamentary sovereignty.
Nobody has really explained what advantages can be expected for full. integration that could outdo a customs union with Europe combined with freedom to trade anywhere in the world as we may see fit, and to run our own affairs in our own way.
We have had ample warning on what to expect in gross stupidity, endless delays and paralytic rigidity from Brussels, and we also know from experience that it is each country for itself at the slightest hint of trouble. Look at the way France behaved when oil prices rose, and look at the way we all behaved towards Holland on the same occasion. Look at the fuss and palaver over our sugar supply and the chaos, bungling and bankruptcies to which British farmers are being subjected — not to mention the monumental food gluts and shortages in general.
To take a parallel, there would be no time left for anybody to lead a normal, useful life if each household had to get permission from the rest of the neighbourhood on every family decision. And so it is with the countries of Europe. Full integration? — no thanks!
We have already had (and still have) more than enough of ill-informed arrogance, dogma and maladministration from all post war British governments since 1948, and politicians are no more clairvoyant than anybody else.
For all anyone can tell, in a few years the whole world situation may have changed out of all recognition, and for the British people to trust in 'experts' who appear to be trying to push Britain into European political unity on the strength of prophetic powers they do not in fact possess, would be sheer folly.
Can any politician or 'expert' claim to have foreseen the sudden rise in oil prices that changed the world economic situation overnight, for instance?
The flexibility of having sensible international contacts and commitments — plus our own sovereign Parliament — is the best available insurance or Britain in this uncertain world.
D. Vigne Smith Springhead, Twitchen, Craven Arms, Shropshire Sir: Joining the Common Market was an act of statemanship — this being defined as a far-sighted act which was for the nation's benefit, but which the generality of the people could not have the knowledge to appreciate at the time.
A similar case was that of re-armament in the late 1930s. If a referendum has been held on that issue, it is probable that the pacifist vote would have won and World War 11 Would have been lost.
If the present, or any other government perpetrates the incredible folly of taking us out of the Common Market, then we will have lost our last chance of economic survival, let alone prosperity, and our last chance of greatness; for greatness in the modern world is closely linked to economic prosperity. Without economic prosperity the balkanisation' of the United Kingdom is the more likely, so even the bogus sovereignty issue is pointless, for there will no longer be a nation to be sovereign. First Wales and Scotland will go their own ways and. then the English provinces — the West, the North — will wonder whether they can continue to afford the luxury of a capital city on the imperial scale of London.
atr i0 p
tism demands that we stay in the Common Market, and that this is right will become just as self-evidently correct as was the decision to re-arm in the light of the events of 1940. Where would we have been without those Spitfires? Alan Wilson' Field Close, 49 Dudlow Lane, Liverpool 18
Previous page
