European Union (Amendment) Bill

I want to conclude. The debate in our media has not helped to clarify the issues or people’s understanding of them. The debate in some parts of the House has not helped to get that clarity either. I understand the frustrations of the Liberal Democrats, which were referred to by the Chairman of the Select Committee on International Development, the right hon. Member for Gordon (Malcolm Bruce). They feel that their position has not been put forward. However, if they think it through, they will see that their model of some cathartic ““big bang”” referendum will not solve the problem. The obsessive anti-Europeans will never accept the result. They will come back again and again, and keep demanding. The situation will be like the referendum in Palau. I do not know whether hon. Members are aware of that case. There was an issue about whether the US could station some military facilities there, and those involved voted seven times until they got the right result. The Eurosceptics will never accept the outcome, and so they will keep coming back. That undermines democracy and parliamentary sovereignty, and I do not believe that it is in the interests of the House or the British people to move to a referendum culture. We need to strengthen the power of the Select Committees and this House to scrutinise the Executive—[Interruption.] We need a more democratic second chamber or to abolish the one that we have completely. We need greater media understanding. Where are the media? They do not report these debates and so the public are not made aware of them. [Interruption.] For that reason, I shall vote against a referendum and support the Lisbon treaty. [Interruption.]