This is Essex --THE EU Referendum Bill, passed unanimously in the House of Commons on Friday (July 5) with 304 votes in favour, is an important step in giving the British people an In or Out Referendum on our EU membership by December 2017.
Before that date, provided Conservatives are in power, we will renegotiate the terms of Britain's EU membership.
Nearly 40 years ago, the then Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson promised to renegotiate Britain's position in Europe. As his former Cabinet Secretary Lord Armstrong has remarked, "Harold didn't get what he set out to get. But he got what he thought would be good enough to say he'd done all right."
Neither Conservative parliamentarians nor the British people will accept such an outcome this time.
There is an expectation for substantial change in Britain's relationship with the EU.
To my mind this must include an end to "ever closer union"; a red card to defend vital national interests; redefinition of "free movement" of people; full control of our borders and immigration policy; legal safeguards to protect the single market; full control of social and economic policy, fisheries, transport and justice; and an end to EU meddling in defence.
If we are to remain in a reshaped EU, we need a Europe that costs us less and does less.
As the Prime Minister made clear in January, "our participation in the single market and our ability to help set its rules is the principal reason for our membership of the EU".
Most of the rest we can do without.
Geoffrey Van Orden MBE MEP (Conservative)
Rectory Lane
Chelmsford
OF COURSE we should come out of Europe. We used to manage before. We need to make our own rules not some bureaucrats who are only out to line their own pockets. They're all a load of crooks, we cannot afford this!
Those who want to stay are just scaremongering.
As for human rights what about us decent honest people? We do not seem to have any rights any more.
Mrs J Wright
Noakes Avenue
Great Baddow
IF THE article on page 19 in last week's Essex Chronicle is a guide, the Conservative party is as confused as ever over Europe.
Simon Burns MP says in his column that a referendum "may simply conclude that what is needed is a fresh settlement with Europe".
But a referendum can't draw conclusions.
A referendum can only really happen AFTER any re-negotiations and then the people are asked to approve an amended EU.
That is why no date should be set now. So the Conservatives are only playing to the gallery at this time. As a long-serving MP I would also expect Mr Burns to be better informed. He thinks a referendum debate would address "whether the UK should opt out of the European Court of Human Rights". But the ECHR is not the EU; it is a completely separate organisation.
Rather than tying themselves in knots, the Conservatives should just stick to the law voted in by the Lib Dem / Conservative coalition Government in 2011. Namely, that IF any new powers are transferred from Britain to the EU, there will THEN be a referendum. That should be enough.
In the meantime, Liberal Democrats in Government will concentrate on the more pressing issues of helping to create 1 million more jobs on top of the 1.2 million created since 2010, and building a fairer society by more income tax cuts for those on low and middle incomes, and more tax rises for the very rich.
Cllr Stephen Robinson
Chelmsford Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate 2010 Reported by This is 22 hours ago.