WE ought to be frightened by the new European system of law set to come into the UK soon via the Amsterdam Treaty, which our wise MPs have already agreed to.

As I understand it, this system (called Corpus Juris) would form the basis of a police state.

Basically it means replacing our system of law by the continental inquisitorial one so that the UK becomes part of a Euro-wide legal system, having an overall 'supremo' called a European Prosecutor, based in Brussels.

On the continent under their system a suspect can be arrested, held for days, weeks or even months by an 'investigating judge' with no need to produce any prosecution evidence.

He or she can then be held in detention without trial for up to six months - or even deported to Europe under an EU arrest warrant! Over there they don't have the safeguards for freedom and liberty that we have had for centuries under Magna Carta.

What else would go?

Firstly, our right to Habeas Corpus, literally the right for an arrested person to be brought before a judge or court within 24 hours of arrest. Secondly, our right for a trial by jury will be replaced by trial under the same arresting judge.

Do we want all this? No way!

Let's stand up for our rights and liberties and get writing to the MP fast, I say.

Graham Wood,

North Road,

Ripon.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.