We must keep our eyes open
Further to the excellent letter by Mr David Lake, (Starmail, December 18) I agree wholeheartedly with his request for a referendum with regard to forming a unitary council for Shropshire.
Further to the excellent letter by Mr David Lake, (Starmail, December 18) I agree wholeheartedly with his request for a referendum with regard to forming a unitary council for Shropshire.
Such an authority would be too big, unwieldy and certainly unrepresentative of the long-suffering council tax payers, to say nothing of the horrendous cost of amalgamation, with little or no benefit to us Salopians, despite extravagant claims of long-term efficiency.
Our much valued democracy is slowly but surely being eroded, and all power being directed to the centre - the European Union.
Consider 1972 when Edward Heath took us into the Common Market - no referendum was held regarding the most radical change in our form of Government since the Magna Carta in 1215.
To be frank, he lied to us. He knew he was signing up on our behalf to the Treaty of Rome, a grand design for a "United States of Europe".
Furthermore, I have a letter from him to confirm this, and he is very proud that our sovereignty was written off at a stroke.
Consider also how Adolf Hitler gained power, having been democratically elected. He slowly and stealthily took power to the centre and abolished all political opposition thus forming a fascist state. I want to see;
A referendum on a Shropshire unitary authority.
A referendum on our continued membership of the European Union, and,
To govern our own country from our own elected MPs at Westminster.
Democracy requires constant vigilance.
JB Cross, Shrewsbury
