akirk wrote: do we want to be run by those we elect and can choose to remove every 5 years, or nameless unelected mandarins in Europe, I suspect that for many this will be the basis for voting
I'm not sure how westminster is any more accountable than europe. As for nameless, I wonder what proportion of the UK electorate can name their current MP? We pissed away any chance of electoral reform with the last abortion of a referendum (like choosing whether you'd rather have your eye put out with a blunt stick or a rusty spoon). Manifesto promises are just lies to get into power, thrown away as soon as you get there, with no legal standing why do parties even bother? At least Europe seems to stand up for individual rights and privacy, which is more than Westminster can manage. And I don't see Westminster rushing to investigate abusive practices by large companies such as microsoft or google (but of course that would put MPs cushy post westminster non-exec jobs at risk, wouldn't it )