European Union (Amendment) Bill

The Conservatives are judged by their words. The hon. Gentleman cannot identify a specific proposal in the Lisbon treaty that makes it more significant than the Maastricht treaty. He is a supporter and member of the Better Off Out campaign. He has the honesty of holding that view and commitment, and that is a growing trend among Back Benchers in the Conservative party, which continues to gallop ever closer towards Eurosceptic isolationism. The Conservatives also refuse to acknowledge the consequences of their isolationism, which has captured most—although, of course, not all—of today’s Conservative party. No previous Conservative Government ever offered a referendum on a European amending treaty. No conservative Government anywhere in the European Union are even considering holding a referendum on this treaty. No conservative Opposition in any country of the European Union are demanding a referendum as our Conservative Opposition are doing. We have heard today from my hon. Friends the Members for Ilford, South (Mike Gapes) and for Linlithgow and East Falkirk (Michael Connarty), the Chairs of the relevant Select Committees. The Foreign Affairs Committee voted against a referendum not once but twice, and the European Scrutiny Committee voted against a referendum not once, not twice, but on nine separate occasions. The hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois) will have the opportunity in a moment to tell the House which other conservative parties or Governments in the European Union are opposing the treaty and demanding a referendum as his party is doing. It is clear that his once influential party—which was the party of Europe for 30 years, in a tradition set by Macmillan and Heath—has, in the main, been reduced to an isolationist, anti-European rabble. That is a policy set and dictated by the hon. Member for Stone. It represents a victory of ideology over national interest, and this Parliament should not give such a policy its consent this evening.