Home What's New Speeches & Articles Newsletter - Jul 2008 Biography Diary Contact Information Photo Album Parliamentary Highlights Publications Links MEPs' Transparency   Conservative Party Latest News from Conservatives.com Conservative Party Website
		EU constitution still a stinker, say MEPs Monday 26 May 2003 The latest draft of the proposed EU Constitution was published on Monday. According to East Midlands Euro-MPs Roger Helmer and Chris Heaton-Harris, the new draft is totally unacceptable - despite the Labour government's promise to defend vital UK interests. Labour says it will keep a British veto on tax issues - but the new draft calls for EU co-ordination of economic policy, opening the way for tax harmonisation. Labour promises to retain control over foreign and defence policy. But the draft Constitution requires Britain to conform to the common foreign and security policy, including a common defence policy, "actively and unreservedly ... in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity". The Constitution explicitly establishes the primacy of EU law over national law. It confirms Brussels control over social and employment policy. And it gives the EU authority over asylum and immigration. The Constitution includes the so-called Charter of Fundamental Rights, which in the view of many commentators will give lawyers a field-day, and enable the unelected European Court of Justice to pursue an activist agenda and create new legislation on the basis of case-law and precedent. Speaking in Brussels, Conservative Euro-MP Roger Helmer said: "This constitution would prevent Britain taking military action on its own authority - we could not have fought the Falklands War, or toppled Saddam Hussein, under these rules". Chris Heaton-Harris MEP added: "The draft as it stands involves a huge transfer of power from London to Brussels, and from elected representatives to unaccountable judges. It is outrageous that Peter Hain describes it as 'Just tidying up the Treaties'. This Labour government must now agree to give the British people their say in a referendum before transferring any more powers to Brussels".