Government of Wales Bill

I have considerable issues with amendment No. 189, and I suspect that, on reflection, those on the Conservative Front Bench ought to feel the same. That is because there is a simple precedent for mechanisms with regard to holding referendums on constitutional issues affecting nations within the United Kingdom. I am, of course, referring to Northern Ireland, where we have a clear structure that determines when and how often referendums can be held on the reunification of the north and south of Ireland. As far as I know, when that legislation was framed, the Conservatives did not object to the framework allowing a referendum to be held more than once. I certainly do not recall any Conservative spokesperson on the referendum provisions for Northern Ireland saying at any point that they thought that there should be only one referendum, and that if the idea were defeated, the question of reunifying the north and the south of Ireland would have to be shelved forever.