European Union (Amendment) Bill

I do not want to speak for long, but I welcome this debate and thank the noble Lord, Lord Blackwell, for moving his amendment because we have had clarification from such expert noble Lords that they need congratulation. If the amendment moved by the noble Lord, Lord Blackwell, were put to the vote and carried, and the House of Commons agreed to it, we would have to leave the European Union, which from my point of view would be desirable. But I do not believe that people understand how far we have become subject to European law. The noble Lord, Lord Lester, made it clear that matters European are becoming greater and greater. With every treaty that we pass, their powers become greater. European law becomes greater. Therefore, the position of our courts and of this Parliament is consequently weakened. The noble and learned Lord, Lord Slynn, who helped us earlier on in our debate has confirmed that the European institutions and courts are superior, not only to our own courts, but to our own Parliament. This Parliament dare not pass legislation that is against European law. Otherwise, it will have to be struck down. This debate has served to emphasise that point. It will be interesting to hear what the noble Baroness the Leader of the House will say. I do not believe that she can say anything different from what has already been said by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Slynn, and the noble Lords, Lord Thomas of Gresford and Lord Lester. She will have to confirm exactly how far the independence and sovereignty of this country have been reduced by various treaties since the 1972 Act. The noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford, quoted Lord Denning. I have quoted him previously on this, but I will do it again because it is so good. He made it clear in this House on 31 July 1986, saying: "““Acts of Parliament and decisions of our courts have been set aside and rendered invalid by decisions of the European Court, which is superior in all matters of EEC law not only to British Courts, including the House of Lords, but also to Parliament where their Acts past, present or future have been, can be and will be declared illegal by an overweening court sitting in a foreign capital””.—[Official Report, 31/7/86; cols.1055-1060.]" Nothing can be clearer than that.