Did the peoplpe of Britain have a chance to vote whether to join the EU or not??

Question

I cba going on google or yahoo because it takes to long to find a simple answer. Much appreciated if you answer.

Answer 1

not really, britain was co-founder of what is today EU

Answer 2

The good people who claim we did not have a chance to vote are simply wrong.
There was a referendum - albeit 30 years ago - and the vote was in favour.
At the time all 3 major political parties were for the EU.

It is simply not practical to have other referenda every few years just because some people don't like the latest changes.

Referenda are set up by governments who then phrase the question in such a way as to get the answer they want.

As for decisions being taken by politicians, that is what they are elected to do.
If you don't like what a government is doing you have the chance to vote them out at the next election, if you can persuade enough people to vote with you.
That's democracy.

As someone once said,
'Democracy is the worst sort of government - apart from all the others that have been tried!'

Answer 3

There are a lot of misconceptions about the U.K. and the EU, as on here for instance - the U.K. was NOT one of the founders of what is now the EU (they were Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Italy under the Treaty of Rome 1960), nor did the U.K. have a referendum before joining the EC, the European Community as it then was and neither is the U.K. the largest net contributor to the EU budget - that is and always has been Germany.
There was a referendum in 1975 to see if the U.K. wanted to stay in the EC and 67.5% voted to stay in. However, in contradiction to some who write here, I believe having a referendum on this or any other issue negates the fact that the electorate has elected a Government to make these decisions for us. In any case, if the U.K. opted out of the EU, just as virtually the whole of Europe is in it, would we really want to cosy up to the U.S as our only "ally"? I don't think so!

Answer 4

There was an original referendum to decide whether the UK wanted to join the "European Common Market" for trading purposes. Since then the whole thing has developed rapidly. We now have an European Parliament, but most of the current legislation is put forward by the unelected European bureaucratic commissioners in Brussels. We urgently need another referendum to decide whether to accept the new constitution. The labour government won't allow this because they know they will lose the vote, and a former prime minister won't then get the gravy train president's job and he won't have the chance to place his wife and sons in key positions in the administration

Answer 5

If I remember correctly, the British electorate did get a chance to vote on whether or not to establish stronger trading ties with Europe by joining The Common Market.

At that time there was no mention of a European Parliament, or Britain effectively being run from Brussels.

We were taken for a ride then, and we are still being taken for a ride by our erstwhile government who are primarily selling out their (our) country in order that they will all be assured high paid jobs in the new European Dictatorship.

Answer 6

I think the British government don't have referendums the way other countries in Europe do.
If you remember a few years ago, referendums were held through out Europe for the Nice treaty, Britain however did not hold one, as , the elected parliament is the voice of the people, so they felt there was no need.....


perhaps you should campaign to change your constitution

Answer 7

I want to reply to Juicy's answer.. It doesn't matter if the people of Britain are ignorant or not (which we are not) everyone deserves the right to vote on issues as important as the EU. It's idiotic opinions like yours that have destroyed democracy in this once great nation

Answer 8

i might fairly be a area of a multicultural society than be a area of a police state, that's what the BNP might usher in. This guy or woman has dissimilar money owed with the only objective of advertising BNP coverage and slagging off everyone else who disagrees. it somewhat is a suspendable offence under YA regulations.

Answer 9

Yes. 1973.

The reason we haven't been allowed to vote recently is (they'd never admit it but its true) that too many people in Britain are too ignorant to make an educated and informed decision based on the politics and economics of the situation.

Answer 10

Watch out America , this is just what our Government wants to do to the USA with the North American Union . That's what Bush signed with Mexico and Canada .
To run a NAFTA Super Highway from Mexico into Canada , with only one stop in Kansas City . With only Mexican inspecting the loads . You think it's a good thing , think again , the US is losing it's borders

Answer 11

No. The decision to join the EU was made by governmental leaders, not the ppl.