Sovereign state?

Whatever you think about it, Queen Elizabeth II has put her signature to the European Union Lisbon Treaty after debate and vote in Her Parliament by the elected members in a democracy. Parliamentary democracy is a cornerstone of life in Europe and the English are inclined to say it all goes back to the English (or French ?) Barons making their claims against King John at Runnymede in what we call the “Magna Carta” or “Great Charter” of the middle ages. Of course democracy no doubt only started for ordinary folk like you and I to really be born in Europe with the English Civil War of the 1600’s and…