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		East Midlands MEPs slam signing of EU Constitution Friday, 29 October 2004 East Midlands Conservative MEPs, Chris Heaton-Harris and Roger Helmer today hit out at the signing by Prime Minister Tony Blair of the new EU constitution. The document, which requires eventual ratification by member states, some through referendum, seeks to create a single European justice system, a common EU asylum policy, a single European army and to secure overall primacy over UK laws. Mr Heaton-Harris said: "What we are seeing today is the opposite of democracy in action. The pomp and ceremony of signing a treaty, which the British people have indicated in opinion poll after opinion poll they do not want to see, shows contempt for the people. People in the East Midlands gave their response to this proposed constitution in the European elections, where well over 50% voted for parties opposed to the constitution. Why has Blair now gone and signed this document with such a clear and unambiguous national feeling?" Mr Helmer continued: "We would have liked to have seen this put to the people before there was an agreement on it by the leaders of the various European countries. This is not a matter for leaders to decide, it is a matter for the peoples of the various countries of Europe to decide. I think that when the British people are given the chance to decide on this, as they will with an incoming Conservative government, they will understand that what has been signed today is something which is not good for this country. That is why it is only the Tories that are pledging to hold an early referendum on the constitution. Both Labour and the arch-federalists, the Liberal Democrats, are running scared."