Democracy is one of the greatest achievements of the peoples of Europe, the result of long struggles and sacrifices to attain rights, entitlements and accountable, democratic political structures. True democracy involves more than the setting up of institutions purporting to represent the population they govern. Even the holding of regular, multi-party elections does not necessarily ensure that the assembly thus elected truly represents the electorate.

Democracy demands that the people have the right to elect and dismiss their rulers. It therefore requires that the electorate have a genuine choice as to who will govern them, and that they are thus the final arbiters of government policy. Active citizenship and free association in organisations capable of pressing for social and economic and political reform are essential to any healthy democracy. Democracy requires that the electorate should feel confident that the parliament they elect is made up of people who share their basic values, people they can trust to govern in their name and in their interests.

We believe that the European Parliament, both in its present form and in any likely future form, cannot live up to the name of a parliament. Europe is a continent comprising different nations, each proud of its individuality and separate culture. Whilst international co-operation - embracing not just European countries but the much larger number outside - is essential, the establishment in Europe of a central governmental authority and superstate laying down the law in the name of an entire continent of people would result in the destruction of democracy.

Measures approved by the European Parliament seldom represent the will of the peoples of Europe, as is demonstrated by the rejection of the single currency by the only European people - the Danes - to have been asked to vote on the question in a referendum. There is every likelihood that it would have been rejected elsewhere if the electorates of other European States had been given the same opportunity.

In the European Union the democratic deficit is real; its cause is the loss of democratic control by the parliaments of the nation states. It cannot be compensated for by transferring powers to the European Parliament without the creation of a European state, for which there is neither foundation nor democratic justification, and which is an ambition that the United Kingdom and many other European Member States do not share.

We believe that European co-operation must be founded on the continuing free consent of the sovereign states of Europe, and that the final decision on major questions should be made at national level. European laws lack legitimacy unless Member States have specifically assented to them. For these reasons, any attempt to impose a so-called "European Constitution" on the peoples of Europe is unacceptable.

Congress therefore declares that -

1. The determination of the limits of Community jurisdiction should be the responsibility of national governments and parliaments.
   
2. The electorate must have the right to decide by referendum or other suitable means before additional powers are given to the EU.
   
3. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which would transfer even more decision-making from national parliaments to non-accountable European judges, is unacceptable even as a declaration and still more written into a treaty.
   
4. Any attempt to replace the United Kingdom's common law, which has been a defence of liberty down the ages, with a continental-style code based on an alien system of law must be resisted.
   
5. Social, economic, environmental, workplace and institutional reforms are best advanced by responsive, elected, local and national government structures which operate in conjunction with free and autonomous organisations within civil society.
   
6. National parliaments and people must be the custodians of fundamental policy matters, especially their constitutions, taxation, defence, foreign policy, jurisprudence, policing, electoral policy and law and changes to the Community treaties. This will necessarily involve the retrieving of powers already granted to the European Union.

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Democracy is the greatest achievement of the nations of Europe and parliamentary democracy is the British contribution to this. True democracy requires that the people elect and dismiss those who make their laws and govern them; that the people are therefore the final arbiters of their government's policy. In a healthy democracy the people can trust their representatives to share their values and thus to govern not only in their name, but in their interests.

Europe is a continent of different nations, each justly proud of its history, institutions, culture and individuality. While international co-operation within Europe and beyond is essential, a central European government which lays down the law to so many different peoples with diverse backgrounds cannot meet these democratic imperatives. Full democratic control must be retained by the local and national assemblies of the nation states, accountable directly to their peoples.

Free association to achieve social, economic and political reform will always be part of any healthy democracy.

Congress therefore declares that:

1. The electorate must agree by referendum any further transfer of power to the EU.

 

2. The Common Law of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the ancient legal system of Scotland, trial by jury and habeas corpus are inviolate, and must not be weakened by alien European law and any attempt to do so must be resisted.

 

3. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, or any "European Constitution", will transfer too much power from national parliaments to unaccountable European judges. A European Constitution is unthinkable and the Charter of Fundamental Rights is unacceptable, even in declaratory form.

 

4. National parliaments must be the custodians of their peoples' constitutions, taxation, defence, foreign affairs, jurisprudence, police and electoral policy.

 

5. This will involve the retrieval of powers already granted to the European Union and the rejection of the legal process by which powers are expanded by the European federal institutions and then retained forever.