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		Letter to the Editor Lincolnshire Echo - Tuesday 1st February 2005 Dear Sir, The government has announced the question for the referendum on the EU Constitution, and Labour politicians are rushing to re-assure us that this 400 page document is "just a tidying-up exercise". It seems that the best they can find to say about it is that it doesn't make much difference -- and when they say that, they're lying. Just one example: Article 15:2 says "Member states shall actively and unreservedly support the Union's common foreign and security policy in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity, and shall comply with acts adopted by the Union in this area". So "tidying-up" includes abdicating Britain's right to an independent foreign and defence policy. The Constitution also hands Brussels control of economic, employment and social policy, justice and home affairs, asylum and immigration, transport and energy -- the list goes on. Pro-EU politicians in Brussels are hailing the Constitution as a great step forward in EU integration. Labour's "tidying-up" claim can be seen for what it is -- a bare-faced lie. Yours faithfully, Roger Helmer MEP