Eurosceptics harp on about us "never having been asked" about Europe, because Britain has only had one referendum on it. But, we have never had a national referendum on any aspect of our domestic constitution (monarchy, electoral system, Lords reform) or on any other international body we belong to (UN, NATO, WTO, to name just some that have major implications for our sovereignty) or any policy decision (death penalty, immigration, nuclear power, university fees, health service, pension system, etc) - all of which are subject to as much or more public interest as the EU.

The reason, of course, is that we have a proud tradition of being a parliamentary democracy, where issues are deliberated on in all their comlex detail, by our elected representatives. Long may it remain so!