The Referendum gets closer

What is the latest state of play regarding the European Referendum negotiations in Europe by the Prime Minister with the other European Statesmen regarding what he see as, both the burdens imposed on us financially and the inherent interference that Europe can impose on virtually all of our decisions in law, human rights and employment decisions which then effect business.
Now that's a big mouthful and our natural default position would be, "I don't need any bloody foreigner to tell me how to run my affairs". 

The only problem it seems to me is that we are ourselves a 'two tier' country and whilst we hate Johnny Foreigner we must also recognise that the "Establishment" in this country are often as foreign to the man in the streets best interests as are the people sitting in Brussels. In fact I would go so far as to suggest that our Business Orientated, Capitalistic, Elitist, Etonian Establishment are more like the Americans with their neo-capitalistic program of excluding the human element in their pursuit of profit.

Far from following the humanitarian approach posited by Europe with an agenda for fair wages and proper working conditions, plus a legal system which also considers the poor, not just the wealthy, Europe reflects many aspects of behaving in a civilised fashion, governed by the concept of 'human rights' (possibly over governed). Instead we seem hell bent on following the Washington Consensus which, at its root proclaims "everyone for themselves", the rest can go to hell.
Of course every nation, every individual has problems in accepting directives which emanate from others who they feel are interfering and with whom there is no common bond. But isn't that what we do every day, in this country, governed by a specific section of society, a cabal, united in their own special interests, a tiny minority who time and time again are placed in positions of power by birth.

How far has true democracy progressed. 

The voting system is skewed to minimise that large constituency of voters in the cities, giving the leafy shires just as much say with a much smaller electorate. 

A schooling system which differentiates, at birth as how affluent and powerful you will be, irrespective of talent. 

It's no different to living in a foreign land if you live in the North and you might as well join forces with the people in Brussels who actually  have your interests at heart, not just a set of words in a party election manifesto.

To seed powers to Europe would, for the majority in this country be no bad thing, once you put the jingoism aside. Does a German or an Italian feel the need to wear his national identity on his chest or has he progressed to a more advanced stage in his search for Liberty,Equality,Fraternity 

No more Kitcheners pointing a finger at the masses and declaring "Your country needs you" and then sending them to die in their millions for a series of diplomatic blunders.

No more George Osborn's or Iain Duncan Smith's riding roughshod over those sections of society they think don't matter.  The rules are conceptualised by a broader section of humanity coming from many backgrounds other than those schooled in the segregated, antediluvian, elitist, hot house of Eaton College, situated by no quirk of coincidence, not a couple of cricket fields away from Windsor Castle, that other seat of English idiosyncratic custom.

Culture and custom are useful in seeing where we have come from but are not a necessary yardstick for the future !!