Small, dull, rich, wet and free

Sometimes we are told that if we were to leave the EU we would become more like Norway. What an awful prospect.
The reports today from that country are heartening though,

The poll, conducted by Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK), measured would-be voter response to a proposed application for EU membership in January.

Fully 54.3 percent of those responding said they would vote against seeking EU membership, while 34.6 percent said they would vote in favour of EU membership.
Just over 11 percent said they were undecided.

An interesting aspect of the EU debate in Norway is the majority needed in the Norwegian Parliament in order to put the question of EU membership to the vote. For a Constitutional change of such magnitude a full three quarters of MPs would need to support the idea. Though the Conservatives are in favour (they want to make it two thirds) the governing Labour Party are split - and with public opinion so fiercely against they have pushed any question to the other side o the next election.

Would that we in the UK had rules that protected the public from the ambitions of their politicians to such an extent. Changing the Constitution is not a normal law, and thus should have a far greater majority than normal laws.