Dear Editor,
Roger Helmer is wrong on all the points in his letter (7 Feb). He claims that "most" EU countries would have rejected the EU constitution had they had referenda on it, yet a majority of the five that did have referenda approved it by comfortable majorities. He says that supporters of the EU project "chose" to make it conditional upon ratification by all member states, yet he knows perfectly well that that particular requirement is not discretionary but is mandated for any change to the current treaties.
As to why it should be "undemocratic" to see if a compromise acceptable to all Member States can be found, I am puzzled: perhaps Mr Helmer means that the majority (of two-thirds of the Member States who have ratified) should prevail in a democracy?
Yours,
Richard Corbett
Labour MEP for Yorkshire & Humber
Blenheim Terrace, Leeds |