Shall we drop the constitution?

[Loosehead]

http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?th readID=6629&&&&&edition=1&ttl=20070621122233

[Gromit]

I think the reason the British have a problem with this is because in our history we have never had a written constiution ourselves. The present proposed treaty seems fine to me, but then again I'm not a europhobe.

[jno]

I like the idea of a constitution; it's one way of enshrining citizens' rights in law. At present British subjects (there's a good word - they're subjected) have little protection; governments, especially the current one, make more and more behaviour illegal every day, and there's no overriding authority to stop them. I don't mind if such a constitution comes from Europe - in fact it will have to, as no UK government would ever curb its own power in this way.

Of course you could argue, and many do, that national sovereignty is more important - it may be a nanny state, but it's our nanny state!

[youngmafbog]

No dont drop the constitution drop the whole corrupt (and un audited ) Europen mess in its entirety.

Anyone who thinks we would loose out is a fool. They need us not the othre way round.

If we had a prime minister who was not trying to buy himself the presidentcy of Europe with our Country we have an excelent bargaining power. Live alongside Europe not within it.

[nedflanders]

I consider myself to be more American than European. I eat McDonalds (god bless you Ronald) listen to grunge rock (god bless you Kurt) and love movies (god bless you David Fincher).
So yes lets come out of Europe and be the 51st State.
P.s. I am serious.

[bazwillrun]

YES
its just another step on the way to a superstate where we become just another province.
Slowly everything is being harmonised, it wont be long before its one police force one army one tax etc etc.
The majority of our laws are now coming from Brussels
Why are we putting up with this ?

[IggyB]

i'd also welcome a constitution of some form to protect our civil liberties which seem to be being eroded at an ever increasing rate.

[jake-the-peg]

Great idea Ned

Look where following on the US coattails got us last time - Duh!!!

The US just loves to see Europeans at each others throats while we're divided we're easy meat for them whether it's illegal steel tariffs or war in Iraq.

We have more of a say in Europe than we do in the US congress!

[jno]

the majority of our laws are now coming from Brussels? Do you have a link for this, bazwillrun?

[THECORBYLOON]

The Select Committe on Constitution said

" Our working definition of a constitution is that it is the set of laws, rules and practices that create the basic institutions of the state and its component and related parts, and stipulate the powers of those institutions and the relationship between the different institutions and between those institutions and the individual.

We take the view that the five basic tenets of the United Kingdom Constitution are:

Sovereignty of the Crown in Parliament
The Rule of Law, encompassing the rights of the individual
Union State
Representative Government
Membership of the Commonwealth, the European Union, and other international organisations."

Scotland, Ulster, England & Wales and the UK may not have a Constitution in a single document but they have constitutions established over hundreds of years.

[Theland]

Why not let the people decide in a referendum?

[jake-the-peg]

Call me old fashioned but I think if people are going to vote on something they ought to have read it and understood it.

If you have a referendum millions of people will vote on something they've never even bothered to read and the whole thing turns into a contest of who has the best PR and spin.

That's why we have professional politicians - far from perfect but better than

Text A for a constitution
Text B for a republic
Text C to have Chantelle extradited to Guantanamo

You decide!!!

[Leilapups]

I think I have more chance of understanding C, so thats got my vote. Its not like we are talking about something important is it, so surely is doen't matter if we make an uninformed decison and just go with which ever takes your fancy on the day.
.

[Theland]

J T P - That is a formidable argument.
Yes, we are lazy arent't we? Pity.

[Yorkie580]

c