September 3: Why EU is a stranger to democracy

IMAGINE if the unelected House of Lords initiated all legislation, heavily assisted by the Civil Service. Then, imagine if the Lords were able to, in an attempt give some democratic legitimacy to the legislation, dump all that legislation onto the elected House of Commons to rubber stamp its approval.

Imagine also if the elected Commons had no real leadership and provided no government: that they were merely an unstructured bunch of MPs, purely there to rubber stamp the endless stream of Lords legislation. Finally, imagine if the Commons rarely objected to any legislation coming from the Lords. I think most people would find that a pretty unsatisfactory and undemocratic arrangement.

Well, what I have described above is exactly how the EU works. You can’t elect an MEP who can influence or initiate policy. MEPs can only reject policy and they very rarely do that. EU policy all comes from unelected bureaucrats and appointees.

You can’t directly elect or hold to account anyone who creates EU policy.

There’d be nothing we could do if some really unpleasant people took over the EU. Before long, even our elections could be under the control of the EU. In the near future, we could be flooded by migrants who we’d have to allow a vote.

The good news is we have a historic chance, in the forthcoming referendum, to get out of this undemocratic cesspit called the EU.

Lack of clarity on fracking

From: Paul Morgan, Barton-upon-Humber.

FURTHER to the letter from Sir Richard Storey (The Yorkshire Post, August 27) and the response from Steven White (August 31), the one thing that Sir Richard didn’t say in his original letter was where in the world his personal experience of fracking occurred. Therefore, it is impossible to say if it has any relevance to Ryedale or not.

It seems to me that it’s just another example of the partial dissemination of information from both sides of the argument that make it very difficult for those of us who need proper information to enable a reasoned decision to be make one way or the other, to take seriously.

Phasing out gas

From: John Walker, Halifax.

IF the rest of Britain’s roads are anything like those in Halifax, they must be riddled with leaky gas pipes. Is it not time to re-assess the situation along the lines of burning the gas at point of entry and distributing the power throughout the country via existing electrical cables?

Okay, it will take a period of 10 years or so to implement but think of the advantages: losses vastly reduced, no burning of diesel/petrol waiting for traffic lights at the road hold-ups, no delays driving about and goods delivery. Let’s start by replacing our failed gas boilers with electric ones – made in Britain of course.

Corbyn and the Falklands

From: Hilary Andrews, Leeds.

SO Jeremy Corbyn wants to give the Falklands to Argentina now. What other foolish notions will this man bring to the table? The Falkland Islanders themselves have had a referendum and decided they want to remain British. It seems strange that a supposed supporter of democracy feels this way about the Falklands but doesn’t see the need for British citizens to have a referendum as to whether or no they wish to remain in the European Union – but then aren’t most of his ideas strange or unworkable?

Unispiring city leaders

From: James Buick, Leeds.

WHY do city leaders in Leeds think they should dictate Yorkshire’s future when it comes to devolution? They do not inspire confidence. If they did, the Supertram / Trolleybus saga would not have been allowed to rumble on for years. They would have found a solution with the right leadership. As for Leeds and Partners, they’ve been very quiet of late...

Impact on adoption

From: Alan Franks, Pontefract.

IT’S a great pity (The Yorkshire Post, August 29) that adoption agencies are not more successful in placing more children. Is it not a greater pity that several very successful agencies, run by the Catholic Church, were prevented from continuing when Government legislation caused them to close by insisting that they put up children for adoption by same-sex couples?

Age of steam still lives on

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.

WHAT a truly stunning colour picture showing the locomotive Sir Nigel Gresley at Levisham Station on the NYMR (The Yorkshire Post, August 31). This wonderful picture does not need words to convey the love and admiration so many millions of people all over the world have for steam engines and the great era of steam railways.