In the 1961 editions of the Reformer we sought for the first time to warn our readership of the potential dangers posed by the Common Market, as the European Union was then called. Even before that year the Reformer had lamented the apathy which abounded in the country on this and other important issues. In the nearly forty intervening years, despite almost prophetic warnings concerning the European Union by many, not least our predecessors in the Protestant Alliance, apathy still reigns. Now, it would seem that we are fast reaching "the end of the line" in this matter, for in December at Nice in France a treaty is to be signed which will, if adopted by the United Kingdom, overrule our rights and Constitution.
The Government denies the far-reaching implications
of the proposed treaty. Yet Continental politicians openly acknowledge
that the Treaty of Nice lays down the framework for a European
State, the like of which has not been seen since the days of the
Holy Roman Empire.
Historians all agree that the Reformation led to
the rise of the middle class, whose existence and wealth was based
on commerce.
The basis of British law is that all things are lawful
to the British subject, provided that the act engaged in has not
been deemed illegal. By contrast, under European Union law, the
citizen is allowed to do that which the law deems legal. This
in practice means that everything the citizen does is a privilege
granted. A privilege granted can always be revoked. The whole
history of the Protestants of France, the Huguenots, highlights
this point.
Likewise it was a jury which first acquitted Nonconformists in 1670 from the charge of meeting in an unlawful assembly. Technically, these Quakers had broken the Law but this and subsequent juries, by returning not guilty verdicts, showed the will of the people was that nonconformist meetings should not be illegal.
The jury system has served us well, we lose it to
our detriment.
Something of this has already been seen in the European Union's treatment of Austria. In Austria, within the government is a party deemed extremist by the European Union. Sanctions have therefore been applied. The hypocrisy of the European Union is demonstrated in that it is happy to welcome and actively encourage countries in Eastern Europe to join, despite the fact that in the governments of some of these countries are people who were guilty of repression during the period of the Cold War. The difference between the case of Austria and these other countries is that the political party concerned, The Freedom Party, is opposed to the European Superstate.
The unforgivable to the European Union is to oppose
it in any way. E.U. Commissioner Neil Kinnock has referred to
opponents of the European Union not as such but as "our
enemies" - unparliamentary language and a subtle,
but marked, difference. This language and policy is very reminiscent
of the Inquisition.
All the indications are that he will. Mr. Blair, in an interview with an American magazine entitled Talk expressed his views on the European Union. In this interview leaked to the British press, Mr. Blair expressed his desire to take Britain into economic and monetary union (the Euro) as soon as he could. When questioned on the growing numbers of Britons opposed to the European Union, Mr. Blair stated he did not care about them. His purpose was to take Britain into the Superstate.
The hour is indeed late and our warnings on the direction of the European Union are materialising, even in our own lifetime. May God awaken our nation from her spiritual unbelief and political apathy!