Government of Wales Bill

The only reason why my example may seem unfair to the hon. Gentleman is that it utterly contradicts his party’s position. The principle is the same: significant constitutional change to a nation state of the United Kingdom. The question is whether a referendum of this type can be held more than once, or whether one single referendum is binding. I am in no doubt that the comparison is entirely valid, so for the Conservatives to say, as they do in amendment No. 189, that we have the referendum once, and if the idea is defeated, never again, suggests that they feel that we could have a referendum once only in the north of Ireland, and if that idea were defeated, never again.