HEARD IT ALL BEFORE ?

I seem to recall that at each of the last couple of general elections, both of the leading parties promised faithfully that we would have a referendum on Britain`s place in the European Union.   Politics and politicians being what they are, the pledges contained in the party manifestos were ignored and so we still wait for the chance to voice our opinions on this crucial issue for the sovereignty of the nation and our ability to control our own affairs.

But.....David Cameron is now appearing to hold out the prospect of a referendum......or is he?   He says he `is prepared to consider a referendum on the UK`s relationship with the EU but only when the time is right.`   He says he wants `a real choice` for voters but that an immediate in/out referendum `was not what most wanted.`   How does he know what `most` want if they haven`t been asked?  And look at the words carefully - `prepared to consider;`  `when the time is right` ...and so on.


We`ve heard it all before, of course and there`s no reason to think it will be any different this time, especially as any referendum that might eventually be held won`t be before the next general election scheduled for 2015, which might be too late for a lot of my rather senior generation anyway.  In the meantime, we will continue to hand over enormous sums of our money to the EU and watch as their unaccountable meddling, their gross inefficiency, their crazy policies for things like fisheries and common agriculture, their financial mismanagement and their arrogant pursuit of the superstate, continue unchecked. 


It`s simple really.   Do we want to remain members of the European Union?  Yes or no?   I think you can guess my answer, but it`s now reaching the stage whereby the answer itself is becoming less important than the chance to answer the question in the first place.