Letter: Why not a referendum?

Letter: I really cannot let Philip Dunne MP get away with the arrant nonsense published under his name on November 5.

Of course a Conservative government could give us a referendum. Now that the Lisbon Treaty has been fully ratified the question has to be "in" or "out".

I know that the Conservatives will stubbornly resist asking that question for fear that the people overwhelmingly vote for "out".

But let's face it, the precedent exists. In 1975 Harold Wilson gave us a referendum, although admittedly, not to satisfy the voters, but simply to keep the peace within his own party.

As an alternative the Conservatives could promise that if they can't get it changed to their liking they would pull Britain out of the EU altogether, but we know they won't do that either. In any case what is a Conservative promise worth when Cameron has just ratted on the "cast-iron promise" he made in November 2007?

Philip Dunne might like to consider the fact that nobody under the age of 52 has ever been asked whether they wanted to arrive at this situation.

Face the facts, Philip. Its no use legislating "to make sure that no further transfer of power to the EU can take place without a referendum", the damage is already done. The EU, thanks to this latest treaty, doesn't need a "further transfer of power", it now has supreme power.

Christopher Gill

Bridgnorth