Sir: Unlike Mr Oliver Herbert I support Britain's accession to
the European Community, though I think we would have done better still to go in as one of the foundermembers — and the most signifi
cant as we would have been at the time.
However, 1 share his views that the people should be consulted in an advisory referendum. In the first place the choice to be made is of such exceptional gravity and solemnity that it requires an exceptional procedure.
Secondly, while I believe it would be disastrous for the United Kingdom to remain outside the Community, premature entry followed by a quick exit would be more disastrous still, and is by no means impossible. The Treaty of Rome has no time limit and lays down no procedure for withdrawal, but in practice no member state can be prevented from leaving, as the Community has no government and no army. If the people vote on this issue they will feel more committed than if Mr Heath goes ahead without consulting them, and he will only find it practicable to go ahead with majority or very substantial minority support. In the hope of compelling him to hold a national referendum, the Common Market Safeguards Campaign is organising a number of local referenda. Unfortunately it is known not to be an impartial body and this may affect participation, the result and the credibility of the result.
The Political Freedom Movement, with an anti-Market chairman (Air Vice-Marshal Don Bennett) and a pro-Market secretary (myself) is also conducting a local referendum at Hexham. This is guaranteed to be an impartial operation from our point of view, but we hope that pro-Market and anti-Market organizations will put their case to the voters and treat this as a kind of dress rehearsal for a national referendum.
Two questions appear on our ballot paper: 1. Are you in favour of Britain joining the Common Market?
2. Do you think a National Referendum should be held on this issue?
I might add that PFM does not exist wholly or mainly to conduct referenda, although we also carried out a highly successful one at Wells last September, with a poll approaching general election proportions. We may for instance put up a candidate at Macclesfield, if circumstances seem right at the time. I shall be very happy to give further details of our organization and its principles and activities to anyone who writes in to us at Blackbushe.
Anthony J. C. Kerr Secretary, The Political Freedom Movement, Camberley, Surrey
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