Wednesday 30 March 2011

Surely a reason for a referendum

"Personal liberty without economic liberty is an absolute contradiction; the one cannot exist without the other."
William E. Simon
Likewise a nation's liberty without economic liberty is also a contradiction with the same result.

The Coalition's European Union Bill promises a referendum where any further transfer of power is proposed. When a nation's ability to set its own budget and thereby manage its own financial affairs is removed from a nation then logic dictates that a loss of power has occured.

Sometime this afternoon, or early evening a Motion will be made on a "European Union Document" (without debate) whereby the House of Commons will approve the "start of a new cycle of economic governance in the European Union .... designed to apply to the EU as a whole". This "Document" can be read here and unless I am very, very wrong will mean that the process by which the UK government sets its budget is now part of a wider process overseen by the European Commission. Tax and spend decisions within "all member states", even the non-Eurozone ones, are now subject to EU oversight. 

That this can occur, without any reference to the people of this country; without even a debate and vote in the House of Commons, serves to illustrate that our government, MPs and Parliament is impotent and can no longer justify their existence.

Our apology for a Prime Minister still believes that Britain's future lies in membership of the EU? That decision, bearing in mind the foregoing, confirms the man is a fool who deserves no respect whatsoever!


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Witterings, I wondered if you had taken a look at the bottom of page three of the 2011 budget pdf document, available for download. It states:

"The Budget Report is presented persuant to section 2 of the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011 and in accordance with the proposed Charter for Budget Responsibility. The Budget Report, combined with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s Economic and fiscal outlook, constitutes the Government’s assessment under section 5 of
the European Communities ammendment) Act 1993 that will form the basis of the Government’s submissions to the European Commission under 121 TFEU (ex Articles 99/103 TEU) and Article 126 TFEU (ex Article 104/104c TEU) after the assessment is approved by Parliament."

The EU, it seems is already exercising an oversight role under the current treaties.

It way past time just imagining decorating London lamp posts. It's time to start getting out the nooses!

Regards,
Ray Griffin, Coventry.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

RG: Thanks for your comment. Whilst I was aware of Articles 121 and 126, I had not realised that they were mentioned in the budget report as you have pointed out.

This latest document is really the 'icing on the two articles' and it is also worth noting that failure to adhere to this can result in a fine under Article 126.

With regard to your statement about lamp posts - I can but heartily concur!

Anonymous said...

Piano wire.

GoodnightVienna said...

Last year when this first came to our attention and Osborne had to acknowledge EU budgetary oversight he did his very best to deflect arguments. IIRC he said that the the UK would never submit its budget to the EU "before it was submitted to the British people". I think we all knew then that he was lying and the eventual outcome would be something very different. Well spotted, Mr W - I shall be tuning in to these "Motions for approval without debate".

Tufty said...

And as the EU project unfolds, our political elite always turn out to have lied in the past and to be lying now. It is these endless lies that give so much power to the EU project.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

A: That too!

GV: parliament(dot)uk is a veritable minefield of information........! Yes I recall all that rubbish from Osborne too and Tufty's comment which followed yours is extremely true!

T: See above.

James Higham said...

unless I am very, very wrong will mean that the process by which the UK government sets its budget is now part of a wider process overseen by the European Commission. Tax and spend decisions within "all member states", even the non-Eurozone ones, are now subject to EU oversight

Yes, that's my reading of it too - so where's the outcry in the MSM?

WitteringsfromWitney said...

Tsk, Tsk, JH. You of all people should know that the msm don't do "outcry" - but they do do "simpering" beautifully!