European Union (Amendment) Bill

I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman voted against our proposal to debate and vote on a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU. I bet he voted with the Tories and Labour to try to gag that debate. It is particularly interesting to compare comments on the Lisbon treaty with past criticisms of Europe. Take, for example, the Conservative amendment tabled for the Second Reading debate on the previous European treaty, the treaty of Nice. The Conservatives opposed that treaty because, according to their amendment,"““it fails to modernise the institutions and policies of the European Union to meet the requirements of a diverse, enlarged Union””.—[Official Report, 4 July 2001; Vol. 371, c. 273.]" Perhaps that is still some people's argument, but those who argue that should probably be carted off by the men in white coats. However, if another set of reforms would"““modernise the institutions and policies of the European Union””," we have not heard about that alternative agenda. Throughout our debates, we have not had a positive alternative set of EU reforms from the Conservatives—not a single idea. Silence on an alternative Conservative approach and silence on whom the Conservatives might talk to elsewhere in Europe about ideas for EU reform, which they do not have. They are bereft of ideas and bereft of allies.