[Part Two]
As far as the 1975 referendum is concerned the question was "Do you think the UK should stay in the European Community (Common Market)?" The nation did not vote unanimously to remain in the organisation. Some 67% of voters voted “Yes” on a turnout of 64%. However, despite being the most frightening consequence of all, in its publicity the Government made no mention of a Federal state with national powers being usurped by an unelected super-quango. In fact it went to great lengths to allay such fears. Despite these reassurances the organisation has changed by stealth out of all recognition in the last 36 years. If, instead, the question had been "Do you support the principal of a European superstate with many national powers handed over the bureaucrats in Brussels?" (as should be the question now) the result might have been different.
All referendums are accompanied by the phrases “winning” and “losing”. Such plebiscites are there not to be won and lost but to establish the wishes of the people. If Ministers, MPs and the Lords want to relinquish the nation’s sovereignty that is their affair. But it is not theirs to relinquish and that is precisely what, to their eternal shame, they have done.
Mr Cameron is right to refuse to fly the “EU” flag on public buildings. Such buildings house members of the UK government and its staff, not EU officials. However, whether he will go much further than that remains to be seen.