C_steam

I'd be simplistic. I'd just respond and ask him to define precisely what he means by 'little Englander'. Then I'd write a letter quoting his reply in the local rag.

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Tom Wilde

Britannist, I haven't heard of the group which you mention. Could you be thinking of the Labour Euro Safeguards Campaign, chaired by Austin Mitchell MP? Their website is here:

LESC Home Page

It's a rather spartan website, but includes an archive of all their newsletters up to and including the present (January 2008), which can be found here:

LESC - January 2008

(You can see from this that the group now seems to be completely opposed to EU membership.)

Of course, there may be another, unrelated group chaired by Ian Davidson MP. Isn't he the one leading the Labour rebels who are trying to get a referendum amendment added on to the Treaty of Lisbon ratification?

Britannist

Good idea, C-Steam.

Britannist

Thank you Tom. Very useful information.

I heard of the above-named group some time ago and, thanks to your help (above) it is now confirmed that they still exist.

Labour Against the Superstate seems to be a new group whose membership includes many of the MPs who voted against the EU 'Amendment' Bill in the Commons last Monday.

When I put the name of the group into Google lots of mentions of it come up on the list. But they do not appear to have a website of their own (yet).

About a year ago I searched via Google for a link to their website and also found no link to Labour Against the Superstate. I have tried using variations of their name (i.e. Labour Group Against an EU Superstate) but nothing comes up on Google as regards a link to an official website for the group.

As you possibly imply above, Tom, Labour Against A Superstate is run by Mr. Ian Davidson MP and it was set up about the time (or soon after) the EU Constitution first raised its ugly head. And you are right that it was this group which put forward about ten proposals of changes to the EU 'Amending' Treaty which they wanted agreed to by the (UK) Government before the group would consider supporting it. Blair/Brown just ignored them so the MPs in the group voted against the Treaty last week (to their credit).

I am grateful, Tom, for the links to the Labour Euro Safeguards Campaign and I was encouraged that the group has published a bulletin for this month already on its website.

Phil Sheldon

Thank you all very much for the replies so far.
Brittanist: your suggestion to send a letter/email from someone without known political affiliations has much merit and I will see if any of my friends/neighbours are willing to undertake this.
I also have in mind to ask my labour-doting councillor if Merkel/Prodi and Giscard D'Estang have all said the 'Treaty' is the same as the Constitution then who is lying?

The suggestion to ask for clarification of 'Little Englander' is very good.
In my draft letter I have mentioned the fact that the EU accounts have not been audited for 11 years which by any standards is a disgrace.
I have also been told that this particular councillor is retiring this year(and he has verified this) so as I am a candidate in the local elections-again-hope springs eternal and all that.

Thanks once again.

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Those who would sacrifice Freedom
for Safety
deserve neither.

Britannist

Thank you for your agreement Phil. Of course, the Labour people who receive the letters from you or others will probably check their canvassing records (i.e. for those reading this who might not know what I mean I refer to pledges given during canvassing at previous elections) to see how those writing to them said they were going to vote. So, the ideal person to find to write to them is a first-time voter or a non-voter (or someone who never tells a canvasser how they are going to vote or if they vote at all).

Britannist

Good idea - the Labour-controlled European Scrutiny Committee of the House of Commons also concluded a couple of weeks ago that the EU 'Amending' Treaty was almost the same as the EU Constitution.

And, of course, Aherne, europhile Prime Minister of the Irish Republic has also said that the EU 'Amending' Treaty is 90% of the original EU Constitution.

Britannist

Yes, it is a good idea from C-Steam.

Perhaps, Phil, you will ask these Labourites if there is a 'Little Englander' is there also a 'Little Scotlander' or 'Little Wales' way of thinking?

You might also ask them if the Labour Party is anti-English in view of their usage of the term 'Little Englander' and the refusal of the Labour Government to give equality to England with Scotland in the UK (i.e. English constituency MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters - which are now dealt with by the Scottish Parliament - but Scottish constituency MPs can vote on exclusively English domestic issues before the House of Commons).

Britannist

Let's hope he keeps his word.

Pity all Labour councillors won't resign.