THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLE DIXIE DOWN:

Bid to lock Britain into EU (Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, 19/09/2002, Daily Telegraph)

Britain could be forced to stay in the European Union against the will of Parliament and the wishes of the British people, under proposals gathering support in Brussels.

The Convention on the Future of Europe, which is preparing a draft constitution for the EU, is examining a clause that would allow member states to block the seccession of any country that wanted to leave.

Under the so-called "exit clause", the rebel state would have to secure the backing of three-quarters of the votes in the EU Council of Ministers, as well as two-thirds of the European Parliament, and ratification by the parliaments of every single country.

The mechanism would make it extremely hard for Britain ever to leave the EU by legal means.

Have the Brits taken complete leave of their senses? Does national sovereignty mean nothing to them anymore? Posted by Orrin Judd at September 19, 2002 12:05 PM