But the theory does not match the reality. Basically the Veto is a sham.
Let me tell you what has happened in the past.
Remember back to the 2005 Eu Treaty of Accession? That was the treaty that granted Eu membership to Bulgaria and Romania. Migration from these two very poor and barely democratic countries was already an Eu wide issue. Thousands were living illegally in the UK and Germany. Problems abounded, especially in London.
I can remember there was a great deal of public concern about further mass immigration. People were worried about crime, jobs, benefits and the loading on the NHS.
The media went into overdrive mode to play it down. Anyone who questioned the sense in allowing free unchecked access to two very poor countries was shouted down or simply ignored. But the unease among the public was palpable.
The UK has always had a large Euro-skeptic base including many MP's. So it would be reasonable to suppose that those MP's would have vociferously debated and then voted against the 2005 bill granting UK approval for the accession of Bulgaria and Romania.
So even if the majority of MP's supported the accession bill, there would have been a significant verifiable opposition vote we could see today in the records.
Yet not a single MP voted against the accession of Bulgaria or Romania. There is though, a very good reason why they did not vote.
There was no vote.
There was no division. So no vote. Or at least no vote as a member of the public would expect on such a serious matter.
This is taken from Wikipedia (Wikipedia - Treaty of Accession 2005)
No division means no accountable vote.
It was (at best) nodded through on a Voice Vote although even this is unclear. Voice votes either pass or fail. There is no record of who took part in voice votes (assuming there was one). It could have been ten MP's or three hundred (probably the former).
The Public were alarmed. Yet the MP's nodded it through.
Does this give you confidence in the ability of Parliament, when under pressure from their Eu superiors, to even debate a veto let alone apply one?
Of course the Accession then went to the House of Lords who are supposed to scrutinise, comment and if necessary return policy to the House of Commons for further debate and work.
The House of Lords also votes - or not, as in this case.
As in the House of Commons there was no meaningful accountable vote.
Despite severe Public concern, the Accession Bill for Romania and Bulgaria was simply nodded through. The Eu were delighted.
Does that sound like a "Cast Iron Veto" to you?
We have to remember that many of the people in high office in this country are beholden to their masters in the Eu. They fix things to work as their masters want. They fixed the 2005 accession treaty and (if given the chance) they will fix further accession treaties.
If you want democracy in this country then we must break the links to the puppet masters.
Vote Leave on June 23rd.
