British influence in Europe is a charade

It has taken an Independent Labour Peer in the Lords to explode the myth of British influence in the European Union.

Lord Stoddard of Swindon:

My Lords, first, the noble Baroness the Leader of the House, in her reply to the noble Lord, Lord Pearson, pointed out that 80 per cent of decisions were made by co-decision with the European Parliament. I would point out that even if the British Members voted as a group, they could always be outvoted by over seven to one. Decisions that might be inimical to this country's best interests could be passed, irrespective of the views of the British Government or the British people.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon:

My Lords, I understand the noble Lord's point about co-decision and the fact that the will of the British Government and, perhaps, British Members of the European Parliament will not necessarily be in the majority in any co-decision procedure, but that is what the European Union is all about. I do not deny that.

"There we have it, as plain as day" said Nigel Farage, UKIP leader. "The Government now tells us that the whole point of, what the European Union is all about, is that British MEPs, the British Government, should have their will over ridden. It's deliberately designed so that we must do as others tell us, not what we would like or wish to have as our own laws.

" It's taken an Independent Labour Peer to force the admission for the first time: that British so called influence in Europe is a charade. They can over rule us any time they like and so they actually rule us. Time to leave this shoddy construction designed purely to prevent us exercising our own democratic rights."

Lord Stoddart of Swindon Says VOTE UKIP

Lord Stoddart of Swindon, the Independent Labour Peer and former Labour MP for Swindon, who usually spurns European Parliamentary elections, has decided to use his vote on 4th June for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and has encouraged other Labour voters to do the same.

In a statement confirming his voting intention Lord Stoddart said: “I am appalled at the refusal of the Government to tell the public the truth about the extent to which the United Kingdom is now governed by the European Union and that vital decisions affecting our interests are being taken by a gaggle of twenty six other nations, whose interests are often inimical to those of Britain.

“The only way to save our country from complete absorption into a single centralised European state is to leave the EU and, since not one of the major political parties supports this policy, UKIP is the only realistic alternative.

“Those Labour voters who value democracy and self-government can, by voting UKIP on 4th June, send a clear message to their own and the other traditional parties that the hand-over of powers has to stop and be reversed.”