Roger Helmer MEP

An after-word on the “Referendum” demonstration in the Strasbourg Hemicycle on Dec 12th.  The Daily Mail described it as a “Hooligans’ Demonstration”.  Labour and Lib-Dem members said we should not have interrupted the proceedings of the house.
 
But we have a parliament which persistently votes in favour of EU integration and against the wishes of European citizens (who want a Referendum).  That’s because the MEPs consist (largely) of Euro-visionaries who will allow nothing to stand in their way.  The institutions talk of “A Europe of values based on democracy”, but when the people demand a democratic vote, their views are dismissed with contempt.  We have EU institutions determined to drive the project forward in the teeth of public opposition.  And we have member-state governments — most notably our own — elected on a promise of a Referendum, but now determined to deny one.
 
In these circumstances, I believe our demonstration was justified.  We had the Presidents of the EU’s three key institutions in the Hemicycle — parliament, Council and Commission.  And for five minutes we forced them to listen to the voice of the people.  They hated it.