The EU & Democracy

Julian Conway, a young UKIP member and member of Barnet Youth Council, writes on the European Union and Democracy for Independence Home…

Julian Conway

Winston Churchill said ‘democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms’. Only the most hardcore of classical liberals would still argue that democracy is not the best political system.  Indeed, democracy does not directly safeguard liberty as it can lead to the ‘tyranny of the masses’, or an ‘elective dictatorship’ as Lord Hailsham famously warned of. Nevertheless, under our democratic system politicians are held to account for not respecting civil liberties. The government has come under heavy fire for attempting to introduce policies which infringe civil liberties like 42-day detentions or the introduction of ID cards. In our democracy voters can hold politicians to account for such moves. Furthermore, trying to think of a dictatorship where liberties were or are well protected proves difficult too.

It is for this reason that the European Union poses such a threat to liberty. The nature of the European Union is such that it does not respect democracy and we cannot, therefore, use the vote to hold our governors to account. EU legislation is initiated by an unelected Commission and the democratic element, the European parliament, has very little say in the policy making process and can only block legislation.

Former chief accountant of the European Commission Marta Andreasen, who was fired for being ‘disloyal’ and not wishing to sign off the Commission’s corruption ridden accounts, has branded Westminster a ‘rubber stamp for the EU. It is difficult to say what percentage of UK laws is made by the European Union but many estimates put it at above 50%. It is most probably the case, therefore, that at least 50% of the laws being implemented in the UK have little democratic legitimacy.

Probably, the greatest evidence of the contempt for democracy of the European Union regards the Lisbon Treaty. The Lisbon Treaty is very similar to the European Constitution which was voted against by the French and the Dutch. The Lisbon Treaty expands the power of the European Union and many believe paves the way for a European federalist state. If democracy is the best political system, to safeguard liberty, which this author personally feels to be the case, then the EU is a real threat. Only one referendum has been held on the Lisbon Treaty, which was in Ireland. The Irish people said ‘no’ and what did the EU say? We’ll hold another referendum.

~ Julian Conway