Remain or Leave - here's how to close the European democracy gap
With less than a month to go, the EU referendum campaign is heating up. We’ve heard the economic arguments, but our membership of the European Union is also a crucial constitutional issue. There’s one issue that can’t be ignored: democracy.
We need a real debate on Britain’s democratic relationship with Europe, beyond the simple in/out divides. This is something that can unite both camps. Whether Britain stays in the European Union or not, there’s a democratic deficit that must be addressed when it comes to our relationship with Europe.
There are some key questions which both camps must answer.
As an example, there are questions for the IN camp in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In the European Council of Ministers, Britain’s case on, let’s say, farming policy, is always put by Westminster’s Minister for Agriculture – regardless of whether Welsh, Scottish or Northern Ireland ministers agree to the line or not. How do we address this question and the issue of devolved nations’ relationship with the EU in the context of the referendum if voters choose to stay in?
And there are questions for the OUT camp too. If Britain does vote to leave the EU, it will have no say over the trade rules we’ll need to comply with in order to conduct our business with Europe. How will Britain outside Europe ensure that citizens and their elected government have real influence over these issues? And if the devolved nations vote to stay in the UK but England votes to leave, should England’s votes pull Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland out of the European Union?
What’s more, the scale of the constitutional change that would result from Britain leaving Europe would have to be addressed nationally. We would need a constitutional convention of citizens to look at how we move forward as a democracy, after what would be a huge political change.
If we remain in Europe, there are vital reforms we must make to improve the UK’s democratic relationship with the EU – and give Wales and the other devolved nations more of a voice over European affairs.
In our publication ‘ Close the Gap ’, the Electoral Reform Society made some key recommendations if Britain votes to stay in the EU.
1. The UK Parliament should be able to scrutinise the Government's negotiating position before Council meetings as well as after
2. The UK Parliament should 'mainstream' European policies by sending legislation to the appropriate committee depending on the policy area
3. Westminster should organise a Speaker's Conference on strengthening Parliament's role in EU democracy , and take proposals forward to a pan-European conference of parliaments
4. Give devolved parliaments and assemblies the ability to hold UK ministers to account at EU negotiations , and devolved ministers the right to participate in Council meetings
5. Parliament and the UK Government should put in place mechanisms for giving citizens a direct say in the shaping of EU legislation
6. The introduction of a candidate-centred, proportional system should be adopted for all UK elections to the European Parliament. Currently Northern Ireland uses the Single Transferable Vote to elect its MEPs - and the rest of the UK should follow suit . But if not STV, using an open-list system would be an improvement on the current closed-list system
7. Political parties should seek to improve gender representation in the European Parliament by increasing the number of female candidates they put forward for election in winnable positions
8. Parties should attempt to recruit candidates with a wider range of views on Europe . EU policy affects agriculture, trade and almost every other area of British public life, and this should be emphasised when recruiting candidates.
Let’s take a few examples of necessary reforms. For a start, the voting system for the EU elections puts power in the hands of parties, rather than citizens, allowing party bosses to draw up candidate lists behind closed doors. We need a system which lets the public decide: a candidate-centred voting system - the Single Transferable Vote – where citizens can actually pick the representatives themselves.
On devolution, ministers from the non-English nations should have a right to hold UK ministers to account on the stances taken by the government during negotiations. The discussions in the run-up to the vote affect people in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland significantly – whether it’s in terms of employee rights or free trade, environmental legislation or government vetoes.
And if we vote to stay in, ministers from the devolved nations should have the opportunity to take part in meetings of the Council of Ministers. It is not right that they are locked out of essential debates: other EU countries such as Germany and Belgium allow federal regions to participate – there’s no reason we can’t.
Citizens also need far more of a say over what happens in the EU – including shaping EU legislation. From citizens’ assemblies to public hearings and open debates on EU legislation in Parliament, we can open up the policy-making process so that the people affected by European law aren’t left out in the cold if the UK votes to stay in.
Stay or go, the elephant in the room is clearly a need for a proper debate on democracy and our relationship with Europe.
The choice to remain or leave has huge implications for Britain’s constitutional future. The sooner we start talking about this, the better.
Josiah Mortimer
Josiah is Communications Officer for the Electorial Reform Society .
