If
Douglas Carswell, a member of the House of Commons, had his way, Britain would
secede from the E.U. before Prince Charles could say, “hip hip!” Carswell's Private
Member's Bill, submitted for debate in late October 2012, would repeal the European
Communities Act (1972), by which Britain became a state in the former European
Economic Community in 1973 (after France had vetoed Britain’s first request).
Although Private Member’s Bills rarely become law in Britain, merely having a
debate on whether to have a referendum on the question of whether the Kingdom
should secede from the empire-level union would stir the pot. The Prime
Minister, who was on record in support of not pulling out of the union, but for
only economic reasons as his state had been benefitting from the large common
market. So even if Carswell’s effort is ultimately unsuccessful, even such a
revolt by Tory back-benchers could undercut David Cameron’s power in the midst
of a languid economy in the state.
The complete essay is at Essays on Two Federal Empires, available at Amazon.
The complete essay is at Essays on Two Federal Empires, available at Amazon.
PM David Cameron of Britain at the European Council. Is he onboard? AFP/Getty
