This has been a roller-coaster year for both CoBER and the European project as a whole; a year of mixed fortunes for an ideal born in the minds of statesmen which now, once again, lies bleeding on the butcher's block of domestic political expediency. Even in this year of remembrance for the ending of the 20th century's second great blood- letting, people have shown arrogant complacency.

It might be thought, from the results of the Dutch and French referenda on the proposed European Constitution, that this sad state of affairs was not restricted to Britain, but 1 am not so sure. In August 1 was talking with some friends in Douarnenez. He i s high in the town's treasury and his wife used to work for the maritime museum there. Both voted Oui but, know people who had not, not because they were against the idea of a constitution but because they believed that, by voting no this time, they, could, secure a better one next time. My friends were furious with them, realisin that the no vote would, merely set the process back several years at, a critical juncture in European history.

Of course, our anti-Europeans crowed with uncontainable delight, forecasting the imminent downfall not just of the constitution but of the whole European affair they so detest., As, usual, they were speaking from ignorance and prejudice, wilfully detaching themselves from reality and contradicting anyone who dared to gainsay, them. whatever the actually evidence, might show. The evidence is on our side, not theirs, which is why. they do not like it.

In support of the anecdotal evidence I quoted, above, there are the opinion polls carried out just after the polls in several countries, not just France and the Netherlands. They show that, out side those countries traditionally presented as Eurosceptic such as GB and Denmark, the European project still commands the support of a large majority of the people.

In France there was clearly a, desire to register disapproval of M Chirac. The government led the Yes campaign, supported by the Greens, Regionalists and most of the Socialists. The Noes were led by the extremes of Left and Right.

Of those who voted Yes the main reason. was their support for, the European project whilst the main motivation of the Noes was not anti-Europeanism but disquiet with the present, political and economic situation in France. In fact 88% of all voters, Yesses and Noes, supported France's membership of the EU. Not surprisingly this included 99% of those who voted Yes but, interestingly, also 83% of those who had voted No! 66% of No voters also agreed that a constitution is essential, to pursue further European integration.

In Brittany the Yes had a slight majority overall, 50.96% but this hides a wide variation between the departments, and even amongst the communes. In the department of Morbihan, for example, Yes won by 50.65% against the Noes 49,35%. In Lorient, the department's second chief town, the sea is of vital importance to the Navy, the fishermen ( deepsea and coastal) and the water-sports industries. The Yes vote won 52.42% against 47.58%.

In nearby Hennebont, a former industrial town now largely a dormitory for Lorient, the. voters led by the Communist mayor, gave the Noes 56.6%. The mayor's argument was that the Constitution was too liberal in the modern sense and would damage Europe's social model. There was a similar result at Ploemeur, a china clay and dormitory village also near Lorient. At Lanester, Lorient' s twin town over the bridge across the Scorff, which still feels itself to be the poor relation despite much new investmerit, the Noes secured over 60%.

In the fishing and tourist town of Auray, the voters did not follow the advice of their communist mayor and gave the Yes their support. Even more surprisingly, La Trinit� sur Mer, home of the fascist leader Jean Marie Le Pen, completely rejected him and gave the Yes vote 67% The mayor of Pontivy, Tavistock's twin town, the mayor was also defied by a small but definite Yes vote.

In Morbihan's principal town, Vannes, which despite its small harbour it essentially an inland town of commerce and light industry, the people followed the mayor in voting Yes, by 62.73%. The mayor and his aids had worked hard for this result.

I am grateful to the newspaper 'Ouest France for this analysis. (The explanatory comments on the towns are mine).

This glimpse at a small part of the French state shows how much real life can be hidden behind blanket statistics for nations or even regions.

In the Netherlands, a turnout of 62.8% voted No by 61.6%. Nevertheless, 82% of the voters who took part support continued membership of the EU. They are much less convinced than the French (or Spanish) that a constitution is essential for the new Europe but 65% thought that rejection now would allow for a better constitution to be presented, one that better safeguarded the Social Europe and also Dutch interests in the EU.

These figures are why I believe UKIP and its fellow travellers to be at best mistaken and at worst dishonest in their representations.

A recent article in the Western Morning News by. anti- European writer Lindsey Jenkins, blaming the threatened re- organisation of police forces on Europe, in particular on EU Regulation EC 1059/2003, is simply, shall, we say, inaccurate? I have sent in a detailed riposte which I hope will be published.

We had a few visitors, including our enthusiastic member from Pensilva, David Waddington. I am grateful, too, to members Anne Kennedy Truscott and Martyn Miller, both also members of Liskeard Town Council, for helping to get it up in the first place. The European Movement had a stand further down the street but there was no sign of UKIP this time.

The exhibition at County Hall took place, too. Not quite as grand as I had originally hoped but that was for reasons of time and events which would crop up at inopportune moments. Nevertheless, I think it was appreciated and I must thank here Miss Emily Henderson of the CCC's European office for her great help. I had to make up wooden display stands for the occasion which I shall modify for future use.

Part of the display was a wooden cross with a WW II helmet on the top and British and German gas masks and ration books suspended from the cross piece. A small roll of vicious barbed wire that I obtained from a fencing contractor and some British Legion, poppies that I have collected over the years completed that particular tableau. I was taking it down a passing member of staff said that she would miss it. In the half light as she left for home, with the wind whining just outside the window, it looked spookily like something one might have found in a battle trench. I liked the comment. Other stands covered such topics as the history of the idea of European integration; life stories of key figures such as Jean Monnet; the 1975 referendum on membership; the recent referenda in France, Spain etc, as discussed in the previous section and so on. We could do better now, but there is still work to do.