Magna Carta will be 800 years old next year – the perfect reminder of the rights and freedoms we must hold dear

Accountability was a central theme of the great tract of 1215 – and it still is today

In 1215 the Magna Carta forced the English King (at the time King John) to respect the laws of the land and guaranteed rights and protections to his subjects (Getty Images)

This year was worthy of note for good reasons and bad. It’s been a year in which many around the world have celebrated, but also in which many have suffered, whether in Britain, Africa, the Middle East or further afield.

And while it has been a successful year for Ukip, it’s important that we don’t just judge the past 12 months solely in political terms. This was a year in which we saw Britons dig deep; for those suffering from the Ebola crisis, to the memory of those who fought and died to defend our liberties. I was moved to see the 888,246 ceramic poppies on display outside the Tower of London, and delighted that hundreds of thousands of people gathered to see them. The coming year will be just as noteworthy – and it will also be a year of great uncertainty.

It is worth, therefore, remembering and reflecting upon what came before us, and what lessons we can take away from it. Next year is the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta; arguably one of the most important documents in human history. This Great Charter guaranteed the basic freedoms of the British people – and it is something that is still celebrated the world over to this day. Sadly, our children are today scarcely educated on the documents that established the rights of free-born Englishmen, as it is often referred to.

But Magna Carta’s significance cannot be stressed heavily enough. It asserted that nobody was above the law – an idea which is constantly tested, and one which may have some serious resonance in 2015, as political scandals begin, once again, to stack up. Accountability and answerability are two of the major themes now derived from Magna Carta. I for one hope that we as a people will seriously consider what this means ahead of our own major political event of 2015: the general election in May.

Whether we’re thinking about the backroom deals or political cover-ups in Westminster, or whether we’re talking about the European Union and its unaccountable bureaucrats – I personally think that major lessons need to be taken from Magna Carta. On the 800th anniversary of its sealing at Runnymede, there will be no greater occasion in our lifetimes to celebrate its significance and think on its impact.

Next year will also see the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo – the decisive victory for Britain and her allies which left Europe with 50 years of peace. Bringing Napoleon’s reign of terror to an end and creating a period in which the British Empire flourished is something you’d think we’d want to celebrate as a nation. Instead, I’m afraid, our politically correct “leaders” have decreed that not a penny is to be spent on the occasion. Well, close enough to not a penny anyway. Even the Belgians are spending £20m on commemorations, while Britain’s Government shrugs and looks the other way. It’s very sad.

I’m not sure whether the decision has been taken so as to not “offend” anyone, but I know we should all try and think about the positive contributions Britain has made to Europe in the past – and the positive contribution we can still make to Europe. Namely, leaving the European Union.

It sounds odd, doesn’t it? But actually, sometimes you can achieve more by being on the outside than you can by being on the inside. I should know! Stubborn friends need tough love. And we should remain friends with Europe and its nations, demonstrating our concern by leading them away from political and economic miasma.

Britain can make a positive difference. A difference that would reverberate, especially to the peoples of Europe that are suffering terribly due to their membership of the EU and their adoption of the euro. The peoples of Greece, Italy, and Spain would, in time, thank us. As I’m sure would the peoples of the former communist countries of Europe, and indeed the strongholds of Germany and France. Perhaps these countries’ political classes wouldn’t like it – and nor would ours. But since when were political decisions supposed to be taken by a small minority of people, for a small minority of the people? It shouldn’t have been the case in 1215 either, which is why King John was made to sign Magna Carta.

And while our victory at Waterloo was brilliant, it sadly cost many lives. I’m sure, like me, you’re glad that this level of bloodshed is no longer commonplace in keeping the peace in Europe. But the change was not because of the EU, despite what the propagandists tell you. It was in fact due to a rejection of tyranny – and the will to confront it. From its major wars to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 20th century contained many examples of what happens when political decisions are made with the will of the people in mind. In 2015, we would do well to remember what freedom – political and economic – can do for a nation, a continent, and indeed for the world.