European Union (Amendment) Bill

Yes, I think that is the case. I stress that, while we may not always be satisfied with the way in which the principle of subsidiarity is operated, it is none the less a very valuable principle which goes in our interest. The proposal on the table from the noble Lord, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, would delete the lot. It would delete not only the bit about the national parliaments but everything about subsidiarity. He explained that he would be quite happy to see subsidiarity go because he would like to see the whole thing go. We all know that the noble Lord, Lord Pearson of Rannoch—if I may use a Scottish phrase—has the mulligrubs about the European Union. I am sure that Hansard will have the pleasure of recording that phrase for the first time. It means to grumble and grumble and grumble. It is a very useful phrase which our Scottish colleagues have used in the past and is very appropriate for the interventions—