European Union (Amendment) Bill

No. The consequence of Conservative policy is not to end institutional wrangling, not to help Europe get on with the real business of serving its citizens, but to prolong the institutional debate that we need to end. The Conservatives say they care about UK jobs, UK security, UK influence and the UK's reputation, but in fact they risk British jobs, British security and British influence to try to control those in their party who brought down John Major's leadership of the Conservative party. John Major used words to describe those people that I cannot use in the House, but we know who they are. The Conservatives say they want a Europe that works but in fact they will do everything possible to stop it working. We have had seven years of negotiation and discussion leading to the treaty; the Opposition's policy would lead to a second decade of institutional inertia that diverts Europe from the real issues that confront it.