Selection of an EU President – another act in the EU farce

So here we have them… the first EU President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs (aka foreign minister). Two obscure figures – staunch federalist Herman van Rompuy, keen on shifting more and more powers to Brussels (including rights for the EU to impose taxes) and Baroness Ashton, a non-entity bureaucrat with zero experience or knowledge of foreign affairs.

Not elected, of course – this is the European Union after all and not some democratic institution – but selected, behind closed doors, to rule over 500 million people. Just as bullying Ireland into repeating a plebiscite (a result of which was not to Brussels’ liking), this was simply another step in the undemocratic farce the EU has morphed into.

As far as I can recall, nobody has asked voters in this country whether they want an EU President, or foreign minister, or a European constitution/Lisbon Treaty for that matter. No, voters’ views simply don’t matter when it comes to the EU. It is extraordinary how a fundamentally good idea of a single market has been bastardised into the biggest slap in the face for democracy.

Having denied its people the promised referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, the government surrendered British sovereignty to the European Union. EU courts and unelected – as well as unaccountable – officials supersede the democratically elected national governments. National veto powers have been axed, leaving us at the mercy of an unelected politburo in Brussels. EU now has control over British foreign policy, military and defence, immigration, criminal justice, social and employment laws and many other policy areas. The path to a complete federalisation of the EU is set, national sovereignty irretrievably lost.

Now that the Lisbon Treaty has been ratified, the next – Conservative – government (there goes hope!) should focus on regaining for the UK some of the sovereign powers and competences in key areas. And, as that is unlikely to succeed, calling a referendum on whether to stay in the EU or opt out only seems appropriate.

According to the TaxPayer’s Alliance, the EU costs each of us £2,000 a year. It seems particularly bad value given the ever growing red tape, bureaucracy and out-of-control regulations and directives that are imposed on us. Should the British people ever get the chance to vote on opting out, my guess is that UK’s days in the EU would be numbered.

Tags: British sovereignty, EU bureaucracy, EU President, Lisbon Treaty, Taxpayers' Alliance, undemocratic EU

This entry was posted on November 21, 2009 at November 21, 2009 and is filed under Featured, Petra's View, Politics & Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.