Sir, Right from the EU’s inception its institutions have been bureaucratic and Byzantine, incompatible with the national democracies that comprise it. Its new constitution (letter, June 21) reinforces this character.

Those of us who want the UK to remain in the EU, provided only that its institutions match up to what we expect of open parliamentary government, have to find a way, and quickly, to square national aspirations with EU co-operation.

In his Warsaw speech of October 2000 Tony Blair proposed a European second chamber composed of MPs of member states. Stronger control over the Commission and the Council of Ministers by the European Parliament is long overdue, in planning key policies like transport and agricultural reform, fisheries and immigration, and above all budgetary planning and methods of financial control. An elected advisory and revising chamber could go a good way to restoring British faith in the EU’s crumbling structure.

Meanwhile the UK Parliament is also in need of reform. Tony Blair might be less opposed to a mainly elected UK second chamber if he saw the usefulness of his own similar idea adopted abroad.

Yours faithfully,
WILLIAM WYNDHAM,
Castlegate House,
Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1YT.
June 19.

From Miss Adrienne May

Sir, The commitment to a referendum on the EU constitution is Tony Blair’s big mistake. The British delight in being different even from our closest neighbours. Most voters will have no basis of knowledge upon which to vote, other than prejudice.

In addition the freedom of action of an independent UK is overemphasised. We are subject to EU rules already in existence; we are restricted by the European Court of Human Rights; we have to answer to the US, the UN, the World Trade Organisation, the Geneva Conventions, trade conventions, collective foreign policy and world opinion, and are affected by world market fluctuations, especially concerning oil.

Against all this, the freedoms the Eurosceptics seek to preserve are minor, and would have little effect on the life of the average UK citizen.

Yours faithfully,
ADRIENNE MAY,
2 Burton Close,
North Walsham, Norfolk NR28 0EX.
June 20.

From Mr Daniel Kawczynski

Sir, After we had cast our votes in the European Parliament elections we had to wait some days for the rest of Europe to vote before results were announced. The powers that be apparently did not want our result to influence other Europeans.

With this in mind why cannot we all have our referendums on the new EU constitution at the same time? Voting could be on a date at the end of this year fixed for all countries who intend to give their people a choice.

Tony Blair wants to stage this referendum at a time to suit him over the next two years. That is wrong and he must be challenged over this.

Yours sincerely,
DANIEL KAWCZYNSKI,
Netley Old Hall Farm,
Dorrington, Shrewsbury SY5 7JY.
danielkawczynski@aol.com
June 21.

From Dr R. P. Williams

Sir, As we know, a state can exist without a written constitution. Can a written constitution exist without a state?

I am, Sir, yours faithfully,
R. PHILIP WILLIAMS,
2 Cae Ffermaen,
Tre Dodridge, Cowbridge,
Vale of Glamorgan CF71 7UL.
phil.will@virgin.net
June 21.

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