Most British people have no idea how we got into the European Union, or what it means, but know only that there is big support for us to cancel our membership and leave (and that the United Kingdom Independence Party are pressing for us to do just that).

The United Kingdom is supposed to be a ‘democracy’, and that is meant to mean that all the people are involved in making big decisions – and then they accept the will of the majority, win or loose. The problem with the EU membership matter is that it was (and still is) one of the greatest decisions facing our Country, but it was (and still is) imposed on us all, without an inkling of consultation – simply enacted by a few people at the top (who think they know best), a bit reminiscent of the behaviour of our ancient kings no less, don’t you think?

Things basically started with six countries nearly sixty years ago forming the Common Market [the colloquial term for the European Economic Community (EEC)], which was basically a trading treaty, but which subsequently metamorphosed into the EU some thirty-five years later. Without any mandate, Conservative PM Edward Heath had joined us up to that Common Market in 1973. Many British people were unhappy with continuing our membership, because we lost economic and other freedoms; it replaced trade with the Commonwealth & others, and not least because the ‘out-of-control’ Common Agricultural Policy resulted in sky-high food prices.

After membership terms were renegotiated two years later by Labour PM Harold Wilson, the British people were finally given a UK-wide referendum to decide on retaining our membership of the Common Market – and the majority were in favour of staying in (unfortunately?).

Another Conservative without mandate, PM John Major, subsequently in 1993 took the UK into the replacement ‘European Union’ (enacted by the Maastricht Treaty) which dramatically changed a Common Market organisation into an economic and political union. It is now at an enormous size – 28 members & involves over five hundred million people – with a single market, and us all controlled by EU laws that override those of the member states. A score of EU states are now even in a disastrous & destructive monetary union using the Euro currency.

[Britain fought and won two bloody World Wars against Germany to retain our freedom, protect our way of life, and control our borders. Seventy years later our laws are created by the faceless in the EU, our very existence is dominated by the EU, and any EU resident can disembark here any time they like. The powerhouse of the EU and its main controller is Germany – so why did we bother, eh?]

The UK elects MEPs to the so called European Parliament but they don’t control matters do they? NO, the ‘unelected Commissioners actually run things and are the real law creators there, and they generate them in spades, don’t they?

EU Membership costs Britain an absolute fortune (annually some £13billion net), as the richest countries pay-in most; then there is a requirement for free movement of people which means our small island is open to all and sundry in the EU without any regard to reciprocity of facilities (like jobs, housing, free schooling, free medical care or benefits). It wouldn’t be so bad if Europe was a vibrant growing market though, but it isn’t is it? No, it is in the doldrums – we need to look to China and the rest of Asia, Latin America, and parts of Africa if we want major export opportunities.

Only if the British people are allowed to vote on remaining in the EU will democracy be served here. Tory David Cameron promised us an IN-OUT Referendum before the last General Election (with a cast iron guarantee indeed but it didn’t happen though, did it?); and he is promising the same thing AGAIN now (but that WONT happen either because he doesn’t really want it, so he will make the excuse that the Conservatives don’t have a majority OR he’ll hand the reigns to someone else BEFORE the referendum is due).

[Only once the British voters have had their say – whatever that is – will some kind of credibility return to British politics].