European Constitution doubts

The Conservatives are against adopting the European Constitution

In a HARDtalk interview on 22 December, Gavin Esler spoke to the UK's Shadow Foreign Secretary, Michael Ancram, about his fears that Britain will lose its sovereignty if it adopts a European Constitution.

As predicted, the latest round of the Inter Governmental Conference discussing a Constitution for the European Union, has broken up without settling the differences dividing European nations.

In Britain this is regarded by many as no bad thing.

The Conservative opposition are uneasy about Britain being sucked into a single European state, and losing control over what they see should be purely national concerns.

Mr Ancram, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party, said that if the constitution is accepted in its current form, Britain will lose its ability to make its own immigration and asylum laws.

"The idea that a majority of nations in Europe will decide our immigration and asylum laws is something that I find offensive".

He said contrary to the Government's claims, Tony Blair had not stood firm in protecting Britain's interests.

He told Gavin Esler that passing a constitution was crossing a Rubicon.

"It may be a small step in itself but it represents a very big change from which there is no going back".

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It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 04:30 and 23:30