Haydon Wick Conservatives helped to elect 3 Conservative MEPs to represent the South West region. Although Conservatives won 28% of the vote across the region, in Swindon we managed to deliver 31% of the vote. This was a fantastic achievement.

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For information on our South West Conservative MEPs
visit their web sites below.

www.gileschichestermep.org.uk

CONSERVATIVES
In Europe not run by Europe
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The European Constitution - why YOU should decide

Conservatives will be voting NO when a referendum is finally called on the new European Constitution.

What is the European Constitution ?

The Convention on the Future of Europe was set up by the European Council in December 2001 and invited to study how ‘the European institutions must be brought closer to its citizens.’ It was asked to draw up a set of proposals or a set of options to overhaul the European Union. It decided to draw up a European Constitution.

National governments are discussing the Convention’s draft and may agree a Constitutional Treaty at an Intergovernmental Conference, at the earliest in December 2003. The Constitution will abolish and replace all former EU treaties.

The draft European Constitution transforms the European Union from a partnership of independent states who pool their sovereignty in specified areas into a full political union.

What does the Constitution say ?

• EU law “shall have primacy over the law of the member states” (article 10).
• The EU would have a single legal personality, allowing it to sign international treaties.
• In over 30 policy areas, decisions that currently require unanimity would be agreed by majority vote. This means no national veto over EU laws, for example on asylum, immigration and border control.
• A new clause would allow the veto to be removed in future from other policy areas (such as tax and foreign policy) without the consent of national parliaments.
• The Charter of Fundamental Rights would be incorporated, damaging the UK’s common law tradition and introducing a range of loosely-defined ‘social’ rights (such as the right to strike and the right to bargain collectively) throughout wide-ranging EU law, which the European Court of Justice would enforce.
• European Governments would elect a President to lead the European Council and 'speak for Europe'.
• The EU’s power will be extended into the field of criminal law for the first time.
• As drafted, the EU Constitution would create a rival to NATO, with its own mutual defence pact and its own 'common defence'.

This Constitution will result in fundamental changes to the nature of the relationship between Member States and the European Union, and the way in which we are all governed. The overwhelming majority of the public believe the British people should have the right to express their opinion on these proposals in a referendum.

Why a referendum ?

The Constitution will result in fundamental change to the way in which the British people are governed. Power will be transferred away from our country to unelected bodies in another country.

Labour has no mandate to enact these changes from its general election or even its European Parliamentary manifesto. There was no mention of a European Constitution in Labour's 2001 manifesto. We believe that the British people should be able to have their say on these changes, so they are given a voice and a chance to approve or reject the moves towards a European political union.

Since 1997, the Labour Government has held 34 referendums, highlighting how direct democracy is increasingly used to ratify constitutional change – including for the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly, the London Assembly and elected mayors. It is planning more referendums for regional assemblies and has promised one if Government moves to adopt the Euro and scrap the Pound. Other European countries are also holding referendums.


Find out more about Conservative views on the European Convention.