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		‘France killed it. Holland buried it’ Thursday 2nd June 2005 East Midlands Conservative MEPs Roger Helmer and Chris Heaton-Harris are today celebrating the results of the Dutch Referendum in which the population followed the lead of France and voted emphatically to reject the EU constitution by an overwhelming 62%. Nearly two thirds of Dutch voters opposed the treaty. Although nine countries have ratified the EU Constitution, all twenty-five must do so before it becomes law. Dutch hostility to the euro, fears about rapid EU expansion, concerns about immigration and a loss of influence in Brussels as well as hefty EU budget contributions fuelled a "No" vote in a country where the centre-right government is deeply unpopular. Mr. Helmer saw the first announcement of the Dutch exit polls last night at 9:00 on the screens in the Press bar in the European parliament, along with a group of anti-Constitution MEPs, staff and journalists from several member-states. Speaking from Brussels he said: "The voters have given a clear signal that cannot be misunderstood. The treaty is explicit. The Constitution must be ratified by all. So France and Holland do indeed have a veto. And they have exercised it.” Mr Heaton-Harris added: "Already the Eurocrats are talking of sneaking in parts of the Constitution by the back door. Our Labour MEP has said that if we vote NO, we shall get 'the Constitution without the capital letters'. We must now be vigilant against the threat of the Constitution by stealth. If the Labour government wants to go ahead with any part of it, we must have a referendum".