Peers seek inquiry on benefits of being in EU

The Daily Telegraph ^ | November 10th, 2003 | By Toby Helm, Chief Political Correspondent

[GreenLanternCorps]

A powerful cross-party group of peers will seek today to begin a national debate on whether Britain should stay in the European Union by demanding a parliamentary investigation into the economic benefits of membership.

Their action reflects a growing feeling in the House of Lords that withdrawal from the EU might be preferable to signing up to a new European constitution that would erode British sovereignty.

It is also evidence of frustration among sceptical peers over the Government's refusal to grant a referendum on the constitution and their determination to pressure Tony Blair into granting one.

The peers who want the case for membership answered by parliament include Baroness Thatcher, the former Prime Minister, Lord Weatherill, the former Commons Speaker, Baroness Mallalieu, former Labour spokesman on home and legal affairs, and several of the country's most influential captains of industry.

Among the businessmen involved are Lord Black of Crossharbour, chairman of the Telegraph Group, and Lord Stevens, the former chairman of Express Newspapers.

Today a request from the peers for the House of Lords to set up a special select committee that would draw up a cost-benefit analysis of EU membership will be considered by the Liaison Committee of the Upper House.

In a letter to the committee, Lord Vinson, a Conservative peer who set up the centre-Right think tank, the Centre for Policy Studies, said sensible debate about "the realities of reform within or life outside the EU" was impossible because of a "lack of factual analysis".

He added: "Such a report could clearly show that withdrawal would be both unrealistic, impractical and economically and politically damaging.

"Alternatively it might indicate that - as with Norway and other countries - an associate relationship with the EU would be both achievable and advantageous."

Mr Blair has ruled out a referendum on the constitution, which will establish an EU president and an EU foreign minister and greatly increase the powers of the European Commission and European Parliament, saying it will not mean fundamental change in the way Britain is governed.

Last night Gordon Brown added to Mr Blair's difficulties in rallying support for the constitution with a further attack on the European Commission.

Two days after Mr Blair and Mr Brown agreed to bury their differences, the Chancellor's officials accused the Commission of a sly attempt to get rid of VAT breaks for British charities and disabled groups worth £100 million a year.

A spokesman said the plans appeared to have been buried deliberately in a directive that also proposes the abolition of Britain's zero VAT rating on children's clothes. It seemed clear to the Chancellor that the commission was hoping the impact on the charities and the disabled would not be noticed until it was too late.

This, said the spokesman, was typical of how the commission operated. The proposals amounted to "tax harmonisation and additional tax bills wrapped in the sugar-coated language of 'simplification and consistency.' "

[GreenLanternCorps]

A bit of Good News from the Lords. They may be Hereditary or appointed, but they are looking for the British peoples interests.

[GreenLanternCorps]

that should be: "looking out for the"

[.cnI redruM]

Just because they're hereditary, doesn't mean they are inbred.

Here's who they'd be joining up with if they went EU

http://www.jingoist.net/france.htm
http://www.jingoist.net/germany.htm

[Haymarket]

Just because they're hereditary, doesn't mean they are inbred.

Actually, very few of them are now hereditary. Tony Blair kicked out most of the hereditaries precisely because they were beyond party discipline and therefore independently minded. It's good to see some of the the remaining ones standing up for Britain.

[Haymarket]

.. remaining non-hereditaries ...

[concerned about politics]

Their action reflects a growing feeling in the House of Lords that withdrawal from the EU might be preferable to signing up to a new European constitution that would erode British sovereignty.

Hear that Washington? They're smarter!
Get the U.S. out of the U.N. !!!

[End Times Sentinel]

After spending WWII as Hitler’s tackling dummy, these pricks decide it would be a swell idea to assert themselves as a world power once again by demonstrating their superiority over Algeria. They lost. Algeria, folks. Not many people know about this eight year conflict, mainly because no one was really surprised to see the French go down easier than a homeless girl on ecstasy.

Classic!  Perhaps a new tag line, even!

Owl_Eagle

" WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH"

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

It would be great to see England join the U.S. in breaking away from tyranny, two hundred odd years later...

[mbraynard]

At one point, while Hague was in charge, his emissaries came over here to talk to some US Senators about signing on with NAFTA.

[pau1f0rd]

And I thought the best Britons left long ago to live in the States. Some of them are still around, fighting for their country.

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

Mr Blair has ruled out a referendum on the constitution, which will establish an EU president and an EU foreign minister and greatly increase the powers of the European Commission and European Parliament, saying it will not mean fundamental change in the way Britain is governed.

Blair is either delusional or a liar.

[seowulf]

I have long hoped that Britain wouldn't sell her soul for 30 pieces of silver. Much better would be an Anglo free trade union. At least we share something of a common culture and values.

[expatpat]

Yes, and it's not as if they didn't use every dirty trick in the book before they surrendered.

[longtermmemmory]

In the darkest night...


Time for England to be England.

[truth_seeker]

"I have long hoped that Britain wouldn't sell her soul for 30 pieces of silver. Much better would be an Anglo free trade union. At least we share something of a common culture and values."

Agreed. But you know we'd be accused of being rich, white, racist, homophobic, genocidal warmongers...by most everyone else.

Why then not have free trade, without unions or the like?

Does Norway with about 4 to 5 million population make it alone, because of hydrocarbon wealth?

I'd let the Scandinavians join the Anglo thing, cuz they all speak Anglo.

[seowulf]

I don't have a problem with free trade with anyone. But, when you start talking about political unions, a common culture is absolutely necessary. Even socialist utopias like Canada and New Zealand still have a remnant of people who believe in individual rights. I'm not sure the same is true of Scandinavians who have a culture of "communal" rights, notwithstanding their ability to speak English.

Successful people have always been envied by the non-productive freeloaders. You can always tell someone who has a lack of skills or ambition: they start blaming everyone but themselves and, like children, start calling their object of hatred names.