We had no influence

In the previous referendum in 1976 the question asked was “(Do you think that the UK should remain in the European Community (Common Market)”. The words “Common Market” in brackets were included in the question. At no stage were we asked to vote on the terms of remaining in.

Over the next 40 years we gradually had our soveriegnty eroded to the Seven principle making bodies of the EU, including the Court of Human Rights, the EU Parliament and also the Schengen agreement and Maastricht and Lisbon treaties. All happened without the UK public being consulted. At no time were we asked to vote on any these.

Had we known in 1976 that we were not staying in a Common Market but being taken further into a Federal Europe, often by unelected, overpaid faceless EU beaurocrats, leaving us with increasingly less say and influence over our own lives then I doubt the UK would have voted then to stay in the EC in 1976.

The vote to stay in was accepted then, the vote to leave should be accepted now, unless, of course that you wish the UK to finally become just another administrative region of a Federal Europe.

Those who feel that we had some influence in Europe and could change it for the better just need to examine the last 40 years of EU history to realise that we had none.

Ken Bates

Field View, S40