THE Republic of Ireland voted overwhelmingly against the Treaty of Nice. According to EU rules on unanimity this treaty should now be dead in the water.

The EU say that this cannot be allowed to happen as EU enlargement depends upon it. This is totally untrue as this is completely covered by the Amsterdam Treaty which has already been ratified.

Despite leaving it out of the Queen's Speech, Mr Blair has put the ratification of this treaty at the forefront of his legislative programme for the first session of his second term in office. Within half an hour of the speech, Downing Street officials announced that the first piece of legislation to be introduced this week would be the European Communities (Amendment) Bill, which would enable Britain to ratify the Treaty of Nice. It appears, also, that the other 13 member states will follow suit regardless of the wishes of their constituents. Are we to take it then that, should a referendum ever take place here on the single currency and the vote go against it, this will be ignored and we will be told to vote again until we come up with the right answer?

We have already lost the right to silence upon arrest. The choice of jury trial is being threatened and now double jeopardy is under attack. Although the connection is never mentioned, these are all in line with the EU Corpus Juris and Napoleonic Law, agreed to by our MEPs.

How long is it going to be before Westminster becomes just a chamber for rubber-stamping EU directives, regardless of the wishes of the electorate.

JIM HOMEWOOD,

Carr Avenue, Prestwich.