One thing that is needed is an electoral system that properly represents the people - e.g. one of the better forms of PR. I know all the cliched arguments against it, but at least it would reduce the likelihood of whichever bunch are in power from simply becoming the new establishment and finding that it is more in their interest to perpetuate past iniquities than change them.

"If this country is going to play an active part in the E.U…" Well that’s a big IF. The current government is no better than all the previous ones - it has realised that the E.U. does represent a real challenge to its power, and is therefore actively making sure that this doesn’t happen. That is what they mean when they say that they are ‘actively engaged in Europe’.

What they haven’t done is enact any domestic reforms to enable a better interface between Westminster and Brussels in the interest of better government or a more effective delivery of E.U. matters in the U.K. The E.U. is still dealt with by the Foreign Office, can you believe? (What greater expresion of the true outlook could there be?); the Minister for Europe is not a full cabinet member; M.E.P.’s do not have equal recognition with M.P.’s; there is virtually no mechanism for communication with other nations on E.U. matters at domestic parliamentary level, and there is evidence that most M.P.’s know little and care less about Europe.

It’s hardly surprising that most people feel’see that we get a bad deal from Brussels, but that is because our beloved national parliament has not seen fit to make it otherwise.

If you ask me, the E.U. ought to place our clowns in Westminster under "Special Measures".