Political Naivety

On the basis that those who read 'broadsheets' - the Times, Observer, Guardian and Telegraph - are reasonably well educated and take an interest in world affairs, a letter in today's Sunday Telegraph illustrates just how little people know, especially when it comes to Britain's membership of the European Union.

"Pointless Parliament

SIR – I was stunned by the letter (February 14) from Syed Kamall MEP. He said that the European Parliament “has neither the power to initiate laws nor the power to hold to account the people who do initiate laws”.

The definition of a parliament is a supreme legislature that initiates laws and holds the administration to account. If the European Parliament cannot do that, what is its use?

J. A. McNab
Aston, Hertfordshire"

One of the arguments against the European Union is that, whilst it confirms its attachment to the principle of democracy (TEU - Preamble) if its parliament is neither able to initiate laws nor has the power to hold to account those that do initiate laws, it can hardly consider itself to have democratic principles. Equally, with the majority of our laws now originating from Brussels, one must also question the 'raison d'etre' of our parliament.

With none of the three main parties willing to debate with the electorate on Britain's membership of the European Union, with none of the MSM willing to write about Britain's membership of the European Union, is it any wonder that such naivety as that above is so prevalent amongst the British electorate?