2020 vision
Sir: Sion Simon's vision of the 2020 political scenario (`The 2020 tops', 4 July) makes too many assumptions and ignores too many possibilities. He takes it for granted that Tony Blair will be prime minister after the next general election. Already there are signs of trouble for New Labour, and the PM's autocratic and undemocratic style of government is subject to widespread criti- cism, in his own party as well as the wider community.
Simon ignores the fact that, despite its large parliamentary majority New Labour was elected by less than half the voters. If Blair and Brown contrive by a rigged refer- endum to persuade Britons to say 'yes' to signing up to economic and monetary union despite the 65 per cent opposed to it, as revealed in a Gallup poll, the parliament at Westminster will be a mere assembly for the English region of the European Union, and Scotland, Ireland and Wales will have their own assemblies. Moreover, a recent MORI poll in the Times revealed the aston- ishing fact that 46 per cent of voters wanted to get out of the EU. Simon blithely writes of the 'European Secretary' and 'Chancel- lor' in the English Assembly having the power to supply 'British input' into Euro- pean legislation. Some hope, with Britain being devolved!
Deramore
Heslington House, Aislaby, Pickering, North Yorkshire
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