European Union Bill

Of course the noble Baroness is entitled to challenge what I have said. I accept that she did not say that from the Dispatch Box, but various Prime Ministers did so. I am sorry if I offended her, but I did not accuse her of any such thing. However, we do have this problem; and there is a further problem that treaties cannot be amended. Parliament, which is here to scrutinise and amend, is told that it is not allowed to amend a treaty. Treaty amendments are simply not allowed, so Parliament has to accept everything in the treaty or nothing. That is Parliament’s situation in relation to the European Union. It is not democratic and it is not demonstrative of parliamentary democracy; when we talk about parliamentary democracy, let us realise that in respect of EU treaties. It has been the case with every single treaty that I have taken part in—and that is all of them. As the noble Lord, Lord Richard, pointed out, I was never in favour of joining the Common Market in the first place, and I believe that it would be in the best interests of this country to leave it at present. That is my view on this Bill. It is the best that we are going to get, quite frankly, at this stage. Out in the country there is disquiet about our membership of the European Union—where it was, where it is now and where it is going in the future. My view, which I expressed in Committee, is that there should be a referendum as to whether we remain in the European Union or come out. I know that is difficult, but some way, some time, that is going to have to happen. I do not think the people of this country will be satisfied until it happens. I am sorry that I cannot support the amendments before us. As I have said, I think this Bill is about the best that we are going to get.