Sir, - News that its Ulster Unionist MEP, Jim Nicholson, has joined Sir James Goldsmith's "Europe Of Nations" Group in, the European Parliament, and that Sir James has set aside cash for Ulster Unionist MPs to assist his "Referendum Party" in the campaign for a referendum on the United Kingdom's future within the European Union, is to be warmly welcomed.
Ever since the Ulster Unionist Party irresponsibly aligned itself with the arch federalist European People's Party, a large and growing number of UUP members and supporters (myself included) have felt that it was abandoning its scepticism to the European Union. One can only hope that Jim Nicholson's departure from the EPP and involvement in the Europe Of Nations Group will return the UUP to a more sceptical position about UK membership of the EU.
That said, it should not be forgotten that unlike the Ulster Unionist Party - which is committed to securing the implementation of a number of policies (including a referendum on our future in Europe) - the Referendum Party itself is a single issue party. Its sole objective is to secure a referendum which allows the British people to decide Britain's future in Europe. Significantly, the Referendum Party is not committed to the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, although that is my preferred option.
The raison d'etre of the Referendum Party means that the Ulster Unionist Parliamentary Party - upon which Her Majesty's Government may be forced to rely to secure the passage of contentious legislation through Parliament - can continue to vote or abstain on each issue on its own merits without sacrificing its independence as an autonomous political party, whilst working with the Referendum Party to afford UK citizens (as a whole) a say on what is arguably the most important issue facing us today. - Yours, etc.,
Pembury Road, Royal Turnbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 4 ND.