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WHY SWITZERLAND
REJECTS EU MEMBERSHIP-A LESSON FOR ENGLAND
*
Why can't we be more like Switzerland?
The Swiss system of open and direct democracy provides
important lessons for those who wish to preserve the project of
self-government by
Anthony Scholefield
[Eurofacts-7th September -2007]
What is it about Switzerland that enables it to go on
resisting the dubious allure of EU membership decade after decade and to
show no apparent sign of weakening?
As in Britain the issue of EU membership remains a
divisive one. As in Britain the
POLITICAL ELITES
are more sympathetic to the European political project
than the
VOTERS
BUT as a recent
seminar at the Swiss embassy made clear no one believes that there is
even a remote prospect of Switzerland joining the EU in the
foreseeable future. [This will
certainly disappoint the Conservative West Midlands pro-MEP Mr Philip
Bushill-Mathews who in 2005 in a robust defence of the EU in publication
'Who Rules Britannia?' an odd title as the majority of the electorate
know it is the despotic gang of crooks and plunderers in Brussels wrote:
'Step by step Switzerland is edging towards ever
closer union.' By the way we
didn't notice his name amongst the
www.iwantareferendum.com
but we hope he will support the cause.
The formal position of Switzerland is that the 1992
application, to open talks on accession to the EU. remains frozen
following the rejection by the electorate in a
REFERENDUM
of the signed agreement by the
Swiss Government
to join the EEA in 1992.
Since then the Swiss government has developed its EU
relations by two sets of bilateral agreements, both of which have been
approved by popular referendum.
In 2001 a proposal to commence EU
Accession negotiations was massively voted down.
*
Double Majority
The continuous stream of referendums on EU matters put before the Swiss
people since 1992 has led to well organised and vociferous opposition,
spearheaded by the Swiss People's Party (SVP).
There are two notable characteristics of Swiss politics
which have enabled the country to resist trends that elsewhere in Europe
have proved irresistible. THE
FIRST and most important of these is its system of cantonal democracy
which has existed largely unchanged since 1848. Under the system major
constitutional changes must be approved by a double majority system-that
is by a majority of voters and of cantons. Such changes are also subject
to a process of optional referendums which can be called for by 50,000
voters. This has made it all but
impossible for ministers to bargain away democratic rights or to "share"
sovereignty as has been the case in other European states.
The system has ensured that the Swiss people are
NOW ON THE ALERT
and opponents of the
EUROPEAN UNION
are ready and organised to resist further challenges.
[Our politicians since 1972 have been great give-away
merchants and are still doing so in September, 2007. All parties are
happy to destroy our democratic rights and pay billions to the EU which
has been estimated in the past 35 years to be over
300 billion
the Defence Budget last year was
£35 billion.
The cost each year to each man women and child in the UK
of being in the EU has now reached
£1,000 each. *
Direct Democracy
SECOND, the confederal nature of Swiss politics together
with the country's traditions of direct democracy requires
FULL DISCLOSURE
[Not as in the UK]
OF
Economic and Political realities.
For example, when the Swiss government produced its
EUROPE 2006 REPORT
which made a careful evaluation of the costs of various
alternative arrangements to
EU MEMBERSHIP
this highlighted all the costs of joining the EU.
The annual budgetary cost was put at
SF 3.4 billion (£1.41 billion)
As part of the rigoropus cost/benefit study of the type
the British government has been studiously avoiding for the last 34
years, the report frankly acknowledged the implications of abandoning
the
SWISS FRANC
and spoke quite candidly of the
'negative fallout for the economy'
arising from membership of
the
EUROZONE
It was equally candid about issues relating to the
country's external relations.
'..the purpose of Swiss foreign policy is to defend the national
interests, whether material or immaterial.'
Another attractive aspect of the Swiss political
tradition is that while ministers are obliged to bargain firmly for the
national interest they are scrupulous about observing agreements with
the EU. 'Switzerland is the
most punctilious observer of
UNION DIRECTIVES
bare none'.
one of the EU academic acknowledged at the seminar
referred to above. Moreover, the
recent bilateral agreements arranged with the EU are very different from
the slipshod opt-outs negotiated by the British government from recent
EU treaties.
TThis
is not altogether surprising: they have to be approved by a substantial
majority of the population
Take the free movement of persons. this is subject to the
ability of Switzerland to introduce quotas if there is an unsustainable
increase in the number of EU workers and is also subject to a referendum
in 2009 on whether to maintain the present agreement or NOT.
Moreover, the free
movement of persons is subject to caveats about proof of ability of
immigrants to support themselves.
One can contrast this with the British government's
carelessness about admissions of East European labour.
*
Slush Fund
TO BE CONTINUED
*
www.iwantareferendum.com.
Don't forget
A
CLICK
WILL SAVE YOUR COUNTRY!telegraph.co.uk/eureferendu
*
*
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THE PEOPLE HAVE
SPOKEN-IS THE EU COMMISSION LISTENING?
*
Ditch the EU TREATY after IRISH
REJECTION
SAY VOTERS
by
Daniel
Martin
Political
Reporter
[Daily Mail-Wednesday, June
18,2008]
MORE THAN HALF of voters believe Britain should
drop the controversial European Treaty in the wake of its
rejection in last week's
IRISH REFERENDUM'
The poll comes as the Tories launch a last-ditch
bid in the
HOUSE of LORDS
today to delay the
RATIFICATION OF
THE TREATY.
And
10,000 people
have signed a
PETITION
on the
DOWNING STREET-
WEBSITE
within the past few days
JUNE16-2008
, calling on the
GOVERNMENT
NOT TO RATIFY THE BILL
[WHY DON'T YOU?]
Downing Street
website is
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Abandon-Lisbon/
*
JUNE 18-2008
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*
IF YOU CAN SAY
'WE WANT OUT-WITHOUT
A DOUBT'
THEN
[Only an ultimatum by millions of
subjects that the new EU TREATY can never be accepted such as signing
the
RENUNCIATION of EU CITIZENSHIP
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Optout
Details from petition creator
With the signing of the Maastricht
Treaty the people of Britain were given
DUAL CITIZENSHIP
-both
EUROPEAN and BRITISH
The extra tier of citizenship was
thrust upon the people without their consent -and in many cases
knowledge.
The PEOPLE of GREAT BRITAIN should be
allowed the option of opting out of the EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP if they so
wish. The GOVERNMENT will then be able to provide those who have opted
out with
BRITISH DOCUMENTATION
-only such as British (not EU)
passports, driving licences and other national documents.
EU laws will also NOT APPLY to those who
HAVE OPTED OUT OF EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP
*
Download the RENUNCIATION OF
CITIZENSHIP OF THE EUROPEAN UNION FORM. 
"Right Click" on the image and select "Save As.."to download the form
in word document.
*
*
"ASK US FIRST"
(philiplockwood65@yahoo.co.uk
PHILIP LOCKWOOD
Cambridgeshire.
*
METRIC
MARTYERS WIN VICTORY OVER EU
SOFT TALK FROM EU ON EVE OF OUR
BATTLE AGAINST NEW TREATY-THEY
NOW BACK DOWN TO ALLOW IMPERIAL
MEASURES TO REMAIN FOR EVER
[Daily Mail - Tuesday, September 11,2007]
PROOF OF WHAT WE SAY-ONLY DIRECT
ACTION CAN GET RESULTS
Another blow
to West Midlands MEP -who couldn't understand what imperial measures
meant 'to the people'.
In one word 'IDENTITY' now do
you understand?
*
Let the people speak!
www.makeitanissue.org.uk
*
www.noliberties.com
[Latest Addition - June07]
*
www.eutruth.org.uk
*
www.thewestminsternews.co.uk
*
www.speakout.co.uk
*
Daniel Hannan - Forming an OPPOSITION
to the EU
www.telegraph.co.uk.blogs
*
GORDON BROWN WANTS TRUST-BUT WHY WON'T
HE TRUST YOU?
HELL ON EARTH IN IRAQ
*
67% want powers back from
EU-ICM poll-June 21-2007-95%
of British people want a
REFERENDUM
*
PETITION
FOR A
REFERENDUM
SIGN TODAY ON LINE
telegraph.co.uk/eureferendum
*
July 18-2007
ALSO
JOIN THE 10 DOWNING
STREET PROTEST
Readers can add
their support to the growing clamour for a
REFERENDUM on the '"REFORM TREATY" by signing up to
a 10 Downing Street 0n-line petition
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/EU-treaty-NON/
The Petition
reads as follows:
"We the
undersigned petition the Prime Minister to guarantee
that the British people will be permitted a binding
REFERENDUM on any and all attempts to resurrect the
EU " CONSTITUTION" (and any or all of its content)
regardless of nomenclature."
Deadline for the
PETITION is 31st January,2008
Eurofacts 27th
July 2007.
*
'The Spirit of England'
by
Winston Churchill
In London on
St.George's Day -1953
*
VOTE
-2007
TO
LEAVE
THE
EUROPEAN
UNION
WITH THE ONLY PARTY WITH A MANDATE
TO SET YOU
FREE
THE
UK
INDEPENDENCE PARTY
www.ukip.org
THE QUESTION THAT THE
VOTER MUST ANSWER
‘DO
YOU WISH TO BE GOVERNED BY YOUR OWN PEOPLE, LAW AND CUSTOM OR BY THE
CORRUPT ,EXPENSIVE UNACCOUNTABLE AND CORRUPT ALIEN BUSYBODY BRUSSELS’
-SIMPLE IS IT NOT?
TO RECLAIM YOUR DEMOCRACY DON'T VOTE
FOR THE TRIPARTITE PARTIES IN WESTMINSTER
BUT
SMALL PARTIES THAT SPEAK THEIR MINDS
WITHOUT SPIN AND LIES.
*
ONLY
PRO-PORTIONAL
REPRESENTATION
WILL
BRING
DEMOCRACY
BACK
TO
THE
ENGLISH
PEOPLE
*
SCOTLAND
-ITS PARLIAMENT -WALES-ITS
ASSEMBLY-ENGLAND-STILL
AWAITS ITS PARLIAMENT-WHY?
*
Home
Rule
for
Scotland
WHY
NOT
HOME
RULE
for
ENGLAND
*
[All underlined words have a
separate bulletin]
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