This is the question I asked Dan Hannan MEP at a public meeting in Esher a few weeks back. Unfortunately he only gave me the standard answer about ‘not letting matters rest’, etc. which I already knew. But perhaps he could say nothing else at a public meeting.

As I see it there are only two logically consistent routes ahead for those unhappy with the general direction that the EU is taking; Reform or Withdrawal.

The problem I have with those Conservative reform proposals I have read about so far is that they do not address what I regard to be the fundamental problems with the EU system. For example I have heard of proposals to re-negotiate the return of powers in one or other areas where the EU has already assumed competence, for example social policy or fisheries. The distinction I would like to see is not a broad-brush distinction by policy area but rather as to whether an individual EU law or policy adds value in a way that a national law cannot. For example I can appreciate that EU environmental law to prevent cross-border pollution achieves something of value that no national law (by virtue of its limited jurisdiction) can achieve. But the EU should not be able to overrule national legislators when there is no cross-border issue at stake. Levels of pollution on British beaches for example should not be an issue for the EU to decide. The same is true (admittedly to a greater or lesser extent) in all policy areas.

My proposals for EU reform would be as follows:
- Restricting the rambling list of Objectives in current EU treaties to prevent the ECJ using the current ambiguity to rule in ways that further the federalist agenda. The EU should have two objectives only; (i) protecting the citizens of one member-state from harm to their life, property, environment, etc. originated beyond the jurisdiction of national law in another member-state and (ii) the provision of public works and services that no individual member-state (or private enterprise) can provide on its own.
- Given that national identity is far stronger than European identity in every EU state, representative governments demands that EU law should only be superior to national law in order to meet objective (i) above. In all other cases national parliaments should be able to opt-out of any individual EU decision they do not like (including those agreed to by previous administrations, e.g. the CAP). This would automatically force the EU to focus on an ongoing basis on only those areas where national parliaments and their electorates perceive it to add value. It would also preserve a protected space within which purely national legislation would be safe from the encroachment of EU power. And it would allow any arbitrary subset of countries wanting to pursue a common policy to do so as long as their parliaments do not object.
- The Council of Ministers should be stripped of all legislative power, so becoming a pure executive with a collective veto on the output of the EU Parliament. This would remove the current problem (recently highlighted by former German President Roman Herzog) of national executives (i.e. cabinet ministers) using the legislative powers of the EU Council of Ministers to bypass democratic checks (e.g. votes in their national parliaments) on their executive power at home.
- The Commission’s current monopoly on legislative initiative (which is morally indefensible for an unelected body to hold) should be removed and transferred to the EU Parliament. Since the democratic credentials of that Parliament are threadbare, a 2nd chamber of the EU Parliament should be added comprising of representatives of national 2nd chambers (e.g. House of Lords, German Bundesrat, French Senate etc.), which are more independent of over-mighty national executives than the lower houses. This 2nd EU chamber should have real power to propose, amend and block European legislation during its drafting. Mere scrutiny and ‘Yellow cards’ are nowhere near good enough.
- All EU laws should automatically time-out after say 20 years unless re-enacted in order that their (inherently weak) democratic legitimacy be refreshed.

I do not feel that the piecemeal return of powers that I have heard about from the Conservative party begins to address the fundamental problems that I see in the EU system. However proposals such those above for real reform are highly unlikely to be acceptable to the Federalists who hope that European identity will strengthen one day such that eventually Brussels rule will be able to claim a true democratic legitimacy. It therefore seems to me that real reform to make the EU acceptable is a pipedream and that the only practical solution is for the UK to leave the European Union. But here too I see no real activity from the Conservative party to prepare public opinion for what seems necessary.

Christ Almighty, who will put them out of my misery?!

I would like to think that their Lordships could be of some help, but it's always wise to have a contingency in place.

Manifestos will be meaningless – what can MPs possible put forward to the elctorate? "We will put more bins in town centres" will be their election cry.

Its stange that MPs are happy to vote themselves out of a job – but then again the New Labour elite will probably put this on their CV when they apply for a "cushy" job in Brussels.

Neil Craig said "The coolness of the Question Time audience to those defending breaking the referendum promise was noticed even by Mr Dimbleby."

Don't forget that the Question Time audience does not represent the views of the population – they are "invited" to the program by the BBC .

My Government will bring forward a Bill to give effect to the Constitutional Treaty for the European Union, subject to a referendum.
http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page7488.asp

So what is the constitutional position?, surely prerogative rules ok

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This will make them well qualified to work in high security areas: workers here are to be the Government's second priority for ID cards.

In brief, the plans for introducing ID cards could well make the country less secure from terrorism. You couldn't make it up…