DUP MEP, Jim Allister QC, visits Gibraltar tomorrow (Friday) to present the case against the European Constitution in a debate before the Conference of European Councillors.

Speaking in advance of the event, Mr Allister said, "The debate over the Constitution revolves around a choice between maintaining a system of parliamentary control and accountability within each nation state or denuding the nation states of meaningful power and surrendering it to the bureaucratic centre.  I believe emphatically in maximising not minimising national powers. In the UK we have built up over centuries a parliamentary system of government which has been exported throughout the world.  Now the European Constitution wishes to neuter our parliament and garner key powers to Brussels, leaving the UK and its people, through the use of the Qualified Majority Voting system, ineffective in controlling their own affairs.

It is also worth noting the adverse impact on Gibraltar's constitutional position arising under the new Constitution.  In Gibraltar's case the new Treaty is accompanied by a "Joint Declaration" (we in NI know all about those) between the UK and Spain which declares that the apparent acknowledgement of Gibraltar's position "shall not imply changes in the respective positions of the two Governments".  Thus Spain is to continue to be free to assert its aggressive and unwanted claim to Gibraltar, thereby delivering unending constitutional uncertainty to the Rock."