'Corpus Juris'

Stephen Woodward, Director of the European Movement, debating the issue of Anglo-European relations with me on BBC Radio, was desperate to portray Corpus Juris as an anti-fraud measure only. A similar line has been followed consistently by other apologists for the European Union, describing the brilliant front-page article in the Daily Telegraph and my own piece in The Times (Tuesday, 23rd March 1999) as "scare stories" We have heard this line before of course.

The facts are that once again the Eurosceptics have got it right, largely because we have actually read the documents and are debating from an informed point of view. As I stated in my Times article, Corpus Juris is "a blueprint for rationalising Europe's criminal laws". The documents emerging from the EU-funded seminar in San Sebastian in April 1997 are clear beyond a peradventure of a doubt: Corpus Juris is "the embryo of a future European Criminal Code". The plan is for a European Legal Area, with a single legal system matching the single market, single currency (EMU) and defence and military union (DMU).

Corpus Juris is not as Stephen Woodward and others would have it merely the meanderings of a few demented academics or the work of extremists, although these are the most extreme legislative proposals promulgated in Europe since the Nuremberg Laws first saw the light of day. The sinister-sounding European Legal Area Project was set op by and funded by the corrupt European Commission itself.

Article 18 of Corpus Juris expressly refers to the whole of the territory of all the member states of the EU forming "a single legal area. The former President of the European Parliament, the notorious federalist Josi Maria Gil-Robles, wants to see a common European judicial space", to which the answer must surely be: "No way, Josi".

The European legal area would involve sweeping away the existing criminal justice systems of the Member States. Trial by Jury and Habeas Corpus would be abolished and with them our ancient freedoms, to be replaced by an inquisitorial system based on the tyrannical Napoleonic Code. The presumption of innocence would become worthless and every man, woman and child in the country, guilty or innocent, would become liable to be arrested at the whim of the European Public prosecution. Warrants could b¢ issued anywhere in the European Union and the police officers enforcing Corpus Juris would not respect national boundaries - forcible removal from one Member State to another is provided for. It is inevitable that Europol would become closely involved and the destruction of that organisation must surely become a national priority

There is no prohibition on the use of weapons, indeed it is inconceivable that European warrants could be enforced in this country without violence or a credible threat of violence. When Europo1 comes knocking on the door at four in the morning to drag suspects away for forced interrogation and detention in Europe, possibly for years; they are unlikely to receive a polite reception. Corpus Juris is where the gloves come off the European Union - it will no longer be in Brussels and Luxembourg but at the door, with an automatic weapon and the safety catch off.

The heart of Corpus Juris is the provision for detention without trial initially for up to six months, renewable for three months at a time, again and again, without limit of time. Suspects could be locked up for years without ever being shown the evidence against them (which might well be fabricated in any event, given the extent of police corruption in Europe) or without there being a public hearing. Rights of access for lawyers and family members are not guaranteed sad suspects could well be held incommunicado.

These enormous powers are conducive to abuse and there must be a real risk of serious assaults whilst in custody and the systematic use of sexual abuse and torture. This is where our system of open justice and public hearings is so valuable. Obviously, it is so much easier to get away with beating up a suspect if the person does not have to be produced in open court and can be denied access to lawyer, doctors and his or her family. Very few of our community partners have a clean record for treatment of suspects while in custody and nothing to match our system of fearless and independent inquiries by HM Coroners when suspects die in custody. We don't have a completely clear record either if it comes to that, but in this country the law applies as much to the State and its officials as it does to individuals. This is one of the glories of the Common Law. Such checks and balances as there are in Corpus Juris are worthless in comparison with the remedies of the state afforded under our glorious constitution. If Corpus Juris even comes into operation (God forbid) somebody will need to keep a bodycount.

For years we have listened to the lies of the EU apologists. They told us the Common Market was all about free trade and that joining the European Community involved no loss of essential national sovereignty - perhaps the greatest political porky of all time. They now tell us that Corpus Juris is a limited proposal, all to do with fraud, involving no threat to national criminal justice systems. They will repeat that lie again and again and every time they do we must tell the people the truth Corpus Juris is about the destruction of our legal system and the abolition forever of Habeas Corpus and Trial by Jury. It would be the end of Magna Carta and the Rule of Law

Our politicians don't have the guts to stop it, any more than they have the guts to defend the fishing fleet, or the rights of Parliament during the Factorame case, or stop Maastricht. When they are not gutless they are gullible - look at how the credulous Lord Cockfield was taken in hook, line and sinker over the so-called single market. I sec no point in giving our politicians yet another opportunity to cave in to Europe or be misled into believing that Corpus Juris is not what it is. If we stay in the EU, Corpus Juris will be forced upon us one way or another.

The best way of staying out of the European Legal Area is to leave the European Union. Membership is worthless and Corpus Juris will just increase the costs - only this time the price will be our lives and liberties.

Michael Shrimpton

September 1999

Acknowledgements to the Anti-Common Market League