What`s in store?
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Dear Sir,
If you wade through the Lisbon Treaty (which takes huge patience), you soon realise what’s in store. No wonder we were denied that referendum.
Debating the European Arrest Warrant (EAW), Lib Dem Graham Watson’s parting comment on a BBC Politics Show that “ UKIP is the criminal’s friend “ underlines that he has run out of arguments.
This feeble remark tried to mask the fact that Brussels wants to radically alter UK criminal law by abandoning habeas corpus, the presumption of innocence and trial by jury. Lib Dems seem to think this is not a problem. By habitually shooting the messenger, they hope the message will not get through.
The EAW can force a citizen to any country in Europe where a criminal offence is alleged. No criticism here. Criminals committing offences across the continent must be caught. That is not what UKIP was objecting to.
A magistrate hearing an EAW for extradition need only to be satisfied that the person in court is the one named in the warrant. The magistrate has no responsibility to examine the facts of the case, but must send the accused to the country concerned. UKIP insists that a prima facie case is put to the court.
Once in a foreign jail, there are no safeguards to ensure visits by lawyers, family, friends or consular officials. Such visits may be allowed, but they might not. Witness statements may not be provided and no trial convened. Guilt or innocence at this point is not the issue.
The accused can be isolated and locked away with no representation at all for 4/5 years without charge at the whim of the local prosecutor.
UKIP will continue to fight against this grave injustice, one of the EU’s more pernicious laws. Lisbon has much to answer for, and there is loads more to come. We havn’t seen anything yet.
