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		Letter to the Editor Several East Midlands newspapers - Monday 29th March 2004 Dear Sir, The Government is telling us porkies on the EU Constitution. They say it's necessary for EU enlargement - but they're wrong. Ideally an enlarged EU would be looser and more flexible, with powers returned from Brussels to member states. The Constitution does exactly the opposite. Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who sat on the Constitution's drafting committee, blew the gaff. The Constitution, she said, is all about centralising power in Brussels. Then they say the constitution is necessary to fight terrorism, following the Madrid bombings. This is straightforward emotional blackmail. It is also nonsense. Of course we need better international cooperation against terrorism - and not just in the EU. But that doesn't mean we have to give up self-government and pass more powers to unaccountable Brussels institutions. On the BBC's "Any Questions" at the weekend, Lib-Dem MP Sarah Teather, suggested that the Constitution marked an end of federalism, because it removes the words "ever closer union". This is typical Lib-Dem wishful thinking. The removal of "ever closer union" is a piece of cynical spin. Ms Teather should read the notorious "flexibility clause" (Article 17) in the Constitution, which allows the EU to extend its powers without limit, and without reference to National Parliaments. Yours faithfully, Roger Helmer MEP