European Union (Amendment) Bill

I strongly oppose amendment No. 237. We had an instructive debate earlier this afternoon, and the amendment, too, is instructive, because it goes to the heart of the problem facing the Conservative party in 2008. The Opposition seem to believe in the single market, but for the UK only. Essentially, in addition to the powers that will exist at EU level, amendment No. 237 would give the UK Government power to legislate in specific areas within the single market. Of course, if the UK Government could legislate in that way in the single market, other Governments across the European Union would want to do the same. That would drive a coach and horses through the entire concept of the single market. It would break down access to the markets that create jobs in the communities that we represent. I have been sitting in the Chamber waiting to talk about the single market for a considerable time, because it is an extremely important issue for the individuals whom I represent. It is of vital concern to everyone in Wrexham. It is not an abstract constitutional concept; it is about people's livelihood, future, wealth, and education. It is about the way in which they live their lives. Since 1997, when a Government who believe in the single market and the balance of social protection came to power, there has been a civilised improvement to the lives of the people whom I represent. The Conservative party does not understand that. It has no concept of which issues are important to the people I represent. I was appalled to hear what the right hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) said about de-industrialisation. I will tell him about de-industrialisation: it is what happened when I was growing up in Tyneside in the 1980s. I took advantage of the single market and went to work in Germany because there were no jobs in Tyneside. De-industrialisation happened in Wrexham, the community that I represent, where 20 per cent. of the population were unemployed. Today, that figure is only 2 to 3 per cent. One of the big issues in Wrexham now is people from other EU member states travelling to the town to work. We do not have de-industrialisation. Let me tell the Conservative party why Labour won the last three general elections: it is because we have success—