European Union (Amendment) Bill

The association the noble Lord referred to does not send ambassadors with credentials to be received by Heads of State of other countries. That is the difference. We have not heard clearly, for example, who ranks first: the Head of State of any particular country in the Union or the new President of the European Council—who will always be referred to colloquially as ““the President of Europe””, of that there is no doubt. We have to be very worried that by enabling the treaty to be ratified and to create the post of permanent President of the European Union, we will reduce the ability of our own Head of Government to act on the world stage with the effectiveness that he undoubtedly has. We as a country are seen throughout the world as having on the whole done more good than harm; a country that punches above its weight in diplomacy, defence, business and many other areas. If we reduce ourselves to the status of a member state of what is, whether we like it or not, bound to emerge into a federated state, we will reduce our ability to exert our influence in the world in the way that we have done through the ages.