Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2016-02-03-Speech-3-026-000"
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"en.20160203.6.3-026-000"2
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"Mr President, when I first became an MEP in 2005, it was around the time that the French and Dutch had voted ‘No’ in their referenda on the European Constitution. As we stood here in this Parliament and considered the implications of those ‘No’ votes, I was shocked by the number of MEPs who simply wanted to ignore the results and push on with further European integration.
But at the end of the day it does not matter what we say, it does not matter what Donald Tusk or David Cameron says, it does not matter what politicians on both sides of this debate may say, it does not matter what we say in the European Parliament or what they say in the Westminster Parliament. At the end of the day, it is the British people who will have their say. It is time for the British people to have their say for the first time in 40 years. Please, on all sides of this House, respect that.
But perhaps the most shocking moment for me was when the then leader of the PPE Group stood up and said: ‘nothing must be allowed to get in the way of the European project. Nothing must be allowed to get in the way of European political integration. Nothing must be allowed to get in the way of European economic integration.’
As a British MEP, the belief in the European project, where the eventual goal was to build a United States of Europe or a Federal Republic of Europe, was news to me. There and then, I realised that there was a massive gap in the perception between many in EU institutions who believe in this European project, and the people of Britain, many of whom tell me that they believe that they voted to stay in a common market.
Reading more about the history of the EU, I realised that the political dimension of the EU has been played down by politicians of all parties in the UK for the last 40 years. It is still being played down. In my first few weeks here in Parliament I was approached by a British MEP who asked me to join a cross-party group – a cross-party federal group – to support the European project. When I asked him: have you told your voters this? I found out he was saying one thing here and a different thing in his constituency.
So unless this gap in perceptions is resolved, the UK will continue to have an ambiguous relationship with the EU. This is why David Cameron was absolutely right to call this referendum to give the British people a say, because we should never be afraid to ask the people what they want and then to stick by the outcome.
A large number of voters I speak to say that they do not yet know how to vote and that they will wait to see the details of the deal. Rather like going to a shop and someone promising you a great deal in a couple of weeks and asking you to commit now: they want to read the small print.
Donald Tusk’s letter to the European Council and his draft proposals are a good place to start on the four areas set out by the British Prime Minister: mutual respect between euro area and non-euro area countries; the EU becoming more competitive by opening the single market, cutting red tape and increasing global trade; ever closer union not applying to all countries, with national parliaments playing a larger role; and freedom of movement to work, and not to claim, and those people who move should only get something out of the system once they have put something in.
It is hard to see how these are just British questions. These are matters that should benefit all European Union countries. For the next few weeks we will see a lot of travel, a lot of papers being read, a lot of persuading being done. And as the Council seeks a final deal, and once a deal is done, the real debate begins.
Because for this referendum to be meaningful, it needs a full, frank and honest debate, with both sides being clear what remaining in the EU means and what leaving the EU could mean for Britain and for the EU. Those of you who want to build your project of a United States of Europe, come to Britain and tell the British people if that is what you believe. Do not hide your views until after the referendum. Mr Verhofstadt is an example, as you say."@en1
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