Sanity
issued the following statement to the media today
2001 May 28th.

T
he Queen is "well aware of the strength of feeling" in the United Kingdom about the European Union and the UK's treaties with it, according to Her Majesty's private secretary, 
Sir Robin Janvrin.

In a letter to Lord Ashbourne and the 27 other peers who signed a petition to The Queen under the terms of Magna Carta, asking that the Royal Assent be withheld from the Nice Treaty, Sir Robin says that The Queen "continues to give this issue her closest attention".

Tens of thousands of letters have been received at the Palace expressing widespread public concern about the Treaty of Nice.  They continue to arrive, sometimes at the rate of several hundred a day.

The peers' petition was raised under clause 61 of Magna Carta, which had not been invoked for over 300 years.  It gave the monarch 40 days to reply.  Sir Robin's letter was written 39 days after receipt of the petition at the Palace.

"Sir Robin's timing is clear acknowledgement that Magna Carta has force to this day", said a spokesman for Sanity (Subjects Against the Nice TreatY), the direct action group which organised the petition with Lord Ashbourne.

"Magna Carta, and the Bill of Rights, are still the law of this land. Neither permit our sovereignty to be compromised or given away.  We believe our message has been received and understood.  Whilst Her Majesty may wish to keep her powder dry for the moment, it appears that any future government wishing to ratify the Treaty of Nice will not have a easy ride.  From the grassroots upwards, there will be non-stop, vocal and vigorous opposition", the Sanity spokesman said.

(ENDS)

Notes to Editors:

1.  Further information from Sanity spokesman 
Ashley Mote on 01730 – 894 355 or 07836 – 220 223 (mobile).

2.  Lord Ashbourne can be reached for comment on 01730 – 825 655.

Immediately after the petition was presented at Buckingham Palace on March 23, Lord Ashbourne commented that several articles in the Treaty of Nice agreed by Tony Blair in December would destroy fundamental British liberties and imperil the rights and freedoms of the people of the United Kingdom.

The European Union is threatening to set up a military force which will place British service personnel under its direct command, restrict the free expression of political opinion, and permit the introduction of an alien system of criminal justice which will abolish the ancient British rights of habeas corpus and trial by jury, and allow onto British soil men-at-arms from other countries with powers of enforcement.

These are all issues of major constitutional importance.  They directly threaten our rights and freedoms and destroy the oaths of loyalty to the Crown sworn by Privy Counsellors, British armed forces, and the police.

Such fundamental matters cannot be considered merely the stuff of day-to-day politics.  They concern every British subject, and generations yet unborn.  Without this petition it is certainly true that The Queen might have found it difficult  in todays political climate to raise these issues with her ministers.  With it, Her Majesty has ample justification.  It is the clear wish of the people."

3.  The full text of Sir Robin Janvrin's letter follows:

"I am commanded by The Queen to reply to your letter of 23rd March and the accompanying petition to Her Majesty about the Treaty of Nice.

"The Queen continues to give this issue her closest attention.  She is well aware of the strength of feeling which European Treaties, such as the Treaty of Nice, cause.  As a constitutional sovereign, Her Majesty is advised by her Government who support this Treaty.  As I am sure you know, the Treaty of Nice cannot enter force until it has been ratified by all Member States and in the United Kingdom this entails the necessary legislation being passed by Parliament."

4.  The full text of the peers' Petition
To Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

presented under clause 61 of Magna Carta, 1215
To Defend British Rights and Freedoms

Can be found at:
www.SilentMajority.co.UK/EuroRealist/OurMonarch

Peers signing the petition:
Lord Ashbourne, 
The Duke of Rutland, Viscount Massereene & Ferrard (as Lord Oriel)
Lord Hamilton of Dalzell
signed and presentated the petition at Buckingham Palace.

The petition was also signed by:
Lord Sudeley, 
Viscount Cowdray, 
Viscount Norwich, 
Lord Napier & Ettrick, 
Earl of Romney, 
Earl Kitchener, 
Lord Napier of Magdala, 
Lord Ailsa, 
Lord Sandys, 
Earl Cathcart, 
Lord Oaksey, 
Lord Milne, 
Lord Newall, 
Lord Barber of Tewkesbury, 
Lord Dormer, 
Viscount Exmouth, 
Lord Wise, 
Earl of Devon, 
Earl of Cromer, 
Earl of Shannon (as Lord Carleton), 
Lord Sandford, 
Marquis of Aberdeen (as Earl Aberdeen),  
Lord Strathcarron,   
Lord Craigmyle.

The Countess of Dysart also signed, 
but the Dysart title is Scottish 
and pre-dates the Union of 1707.

5.  The full text of the peers' letter, which accompanied the petition,

can also be found at:
www.SilentMajority.co.UK/EuroRealist/OurMonarch

6.  In addition to the four peers who presented the petition
Lord Ashbourne, 
The Duke of Rutland, 
Viscount Massereene & Ferrard
Lord Hamilton of Dalzell
the other peers forming the constitutional committee mentioned in the letter are:
The Earl of Shannon, 
Lord Napier & Ettrick
Lord Sudeley.

More Details and further information is to be found at:
www.SilentMajority.co.UK/EuroRealist/OurMonarch

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