Bill Cash MP: More Europe always leads to less prosperity and more disorder

Bill Cash is Member of Parliament for Stone.

Yesterday, I was successful in my request to the Speaker of the House of Commons to grant an emergency debate in Parliament on the European Treaty. There will therefore be an emergency debate for three hours in the House of Commons this afternoon, which will take priority over Government business. The Speaker granted the debate after my formal application to hold the debate on the European Treaty of the 25 Member States.

The non-EU Treaty between 25 of the 27 Member States, on which the Prime Minister had exercised the veto, makes use of certain institutions of the EU, in particular the European Commission and the European Court of Justice. The debate today in fact comes ahead of a European Council meeting this Thursday, which the Prime Minister will be attending.

The debate will consider the action now to be taken by the Government in protecting UK interests in relation to the new Treaty on Stability, Co-ordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union. It is after all a non-EU Treaty yet it confers functions on EU institutions including the European Commission and the Court of Justice. This non-EU Treaty is only between 25 of the 27 Member States, given that our Prime Minister rightly exercised the veto. The Treaty, however, makes use of certain institutions of the EU, in particular the European Commission and the European Court of Justice. There is therefore not only an economic crisis in Europe but also a political, legal and democratic crisis.

The Government itself has expressed grave reservations about the legality, following its veto. The European Scrutiny Committee has held an inquiry on the matter and has taken evidence on the Treaty. The Foreign Secretary has twice declined the unanimous request of the European Scrutiny Committee to appear before the Committee in reasonable time, although the Minister for Europe did give evidence last Thursday.

The existing European treaties are the root cause of the problems, with their overregulation and centralisation which is both unworkable and undemocratic, preventing the growth that is needed in the individual Member States to get out of the economic and debt crisis that is endemic throughout Europe. This Treaty of itself will not solve the root problems of the EU but will make them worse by cutting off the democratic oxygen of the voters who choose their governments in general elections and who decide what kind of economy and democracy they want for good or ill. Sacrificing this fundamental democratic principle and with it freedom of choice on the altar of European ideology for political union and further integration is extremely dangerous and has increasing tendencies toward government by diktat. 

The question of the legality of the Treaty and whether the Government intends to take them to the European Court of Justice is a matter of great urgency given the fact that other Member States and their parliaments, such as the Bundestag, are deciding the issues and the ratification of this treaty.

As for the UK, there are very legitimate concerns about the legality of the conferral under this treaty of certain functions on the European Commission and the Court of Justice, which are institutions of the EU. The legal issues are set out in the written and oral evidence given to the European Scrutiny Community (and now on its website) – there is powerful evidence from Professor Paul Craig of Oxford University questioning the effect of this Treaty on the rule of law in Europe and therefore as it affects the United Kingdom. This is an unacceptable and slippery slope given that technocratic governments have already effectively been imposed on Greece and Italy.

It is essential for the United Kingdom Parliament, on behalf of the voters of the UK, who are affected by the Treaty proposals and the Government’s decision on the question of legality, to debate this as a matter of urgency and, if you saw the proceedings yesterday, you will know that this proposal for a debate has been widely supported by MPs from all sides of the House. Indeed, it is thought that over 100 stood up under the procedures of the House to support my Motion.

The Treaties must be renegotiated but all we hear is demands by the Euro-establishment for more Europe and more integration, all of which will lead to less peace and prosperity, more chaos and more riots and disorder.