European Union (Referendum) Bill

rose—

I will not give way for a moment, but I will later on.

No institution can survive without t...

We hear a lot nowadays about the surveillance powers of the state. Could my right hon. Friend use...

I think I would get into trouble if I used our powers for that particular purpose, but we will no...

rose—

I will give way to the hon. Gentleman and then make a bit more progress.

I am extremely grateful to the right hon. Gentleman, who, as Foreign Secretary and previously, ha...

I think the Bill sends the message that we are a robust democracy too. We welcomed Croatia into t...

The right hon. Gentleman is a fine Foreign Secretary and he bangs on about Europe very eloquently...

My hon. Friend must remember that had our Liberal Democrat colleagues voted with us for a referen...

As the Foreign Secretary knows, I am with him on the idea of a referendum, but would he help me w...

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is tirelessly—now, in this Parliament, never mind in the ...

Looking at the maths in the House of Commons today, we have 30 Labour MPs and I have lost count o...

I agree with my hon. Friend. The note circulated by Labour Whips—which has also come into my poss...

I trust I will be judged a suitable speaker to make sure the Chamber is not completely empty.

The right hon. Gentleman may have observed that the Conservative Back Benches are full of volunte...

As I will explain to the hon. Gentleman and the House, the reason for that is that this is a Bill...

The right hon. Gentleman talks about the oddities of today’s Bill, and there are certainly some o...

For my part, I very much doubt that I will be here in four hours’ time to vote at all on this Bil...

rose—

rose—

No, I will make a little progress.

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The right hon. Gentleman has said that he will not be ...

Mr Rees-Mogg, I think you know the answer to that. Members are required to hear the speech before...

I am not one of those who have been accused of abusing the courtesies of this House, but there is...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

No, I will make a little more progress.

Why has this situation come about? Why has supposed...

I am afraid the right hon. Gentleman quotes very selectively from that piece. Having written it, ...

I quoted absolutely verbatim from the hon. Gentleman’s article. Let me respond to his further poi...

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker.

Order. It had better be a point of order, Mr Baron.

It is a point of order Madam Deputy Speaker—or I hope it is. I seek your guidance. I have been mi...

The issue is a matter for debate, as the hon. Gentleman knows. I believe his name is down to be c...

The first point is that this is really a private matter for the Conservative party. Whether they ...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

No, I am going to make a little more progress and then I will take another intervention.

Th...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman and near parliamentary neighbour for giving way. I think that th...

Let me turn to the point I was about to address on how the national interest is served by this di...

It struck me as a little odd that both the hon. Member for Stockton South (James Wharton) and the...

There is no doubt that this whole exercise is driven by the Conservative party’s terror of UKIP.<...

My right hon. Friend is making an important and thoughtful speech, and he is right to embrace the...

My right hon. Friend is right. What worries me is that the Prime Minister represents a party in w...

rose—

Order. Before I call the next speaker, it might be helpful if I inform the House that more than 4...

I just reflect that, after the last three contributions by Labour Members, I genuinely think that...

I am most interested in what the hon. Gentleman is saying. He is right about three-line Whips. We...

I assure the hon. Gentleman that I am not the progenitor of the Whip, but I respect my wonderful ...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that there is a huge paradox in hon. and right hon. Members arguing...

I love the question. Years ago, when I was a very young Member, the BBC kindly asked me—I had bee...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Not at the moment, if the hon. Gentleman will forgive me.

This is about not consigning to o...

I find myself agreeing completely with what I believe to be the three motivating thrusts of those...

I was not quite sure whether the Foreign Secretary was going to seek to intervene on the hon. Gen...

It sounds like a get-out to me. The clear impression created was that the Conservatives were agai...

A small group of us here have shared these debates. For the benefit of those who did not, Governm...

Absolutely. I was rebuking the Conservatives, but don’t start me on the snivelling Liberals. Thos...

It is good fun, though!

Yes, shooting the Liberals is good fun, but it is too easy.

Will the hon. Gentleman like to expand in his short and pithy speech on how he is going to vote t...

Well, the Whips have been to see me and they deployed the ultimate threat. They said, “If you thi...

Given the hon. Gentleman’s childish remarks about the Liberal Democrats, I can tell him that he h...

Well, I suggest the hon. Gentleman does not tempt me to do what I like with it, because what I mi...

rose—

No, no; if you offer it to one, then you have to—Anyway, I will be having consultations in Room 2...

Clearly that discussion is going to start now and go on for four years until 2017. If there was a...

I have considerable sympathy with that point of view, but it is grossly undermined by the fact th...

The hon. Gentleman has a reputation for being a straight-talking politician and he is making a po...

I will leave the hon. Gentleman in suspense for a little longer, if he does not mind, as I am wor...

If the hon. Gentleman tells us, it will put us out of our misery.

I am glad to hear that.

The second issue is control of our borders. I do not believe that i...

I agree with my hon. Friend’s general views on the EU, and I agree with him about the Lib Dems, a...

I possibly have more faith in the Prime Minister than my hon. Friend does. Had the Prime Minister...

I hope that the hon. Gentleman does not mind me referring to an earlier point he made, because I ...

Sorry, I did not think I was actually saying that all unions were taking a particular position. I...

This debate is not about what kind of trade union laws we should have; it is about who makes thos...

So now we have it: the hon. Gentleman wants this Parliament to have the power to put small boys u...

The hon. Gentleman and several other Labour Members, including the hon. Members for Luton North (...

There is no difficulty in identifying a substantial group of Labour MPs who are in favour of a re...

Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government do not need a referendum decision by this House, be...

To be fair, I covered some of those points earlier. I am conscious that others wish to speak, so ...

Next week.

It may very well be next week. If it is next week, I would hope that the Government would seize o...

First, I want to put on record my congratulations to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton South...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I shall give way to the hon. Gentleman in a moment.

It is estimated that 35 million people—...

My hon. Friend mentioned an important word: sovereignty. Is it not right that sovereignty belongs...

I could not agree more. People have fought and died. The only reason we live in the United Kingdo...

I know that the whole House is delighted that my hon. Friend saw the light. Some of us not only c...

Indeed; I note what my right hon. Friend has said. This issue is about political union. If we str...

My hon. Friend is making a powerful case. I think he is coming on to the point that there are not...

I totally agree. My hon. Friend and I, with other Members, have debated this in complete unity, f...

Does my hon. Friend agree that those who perpetuate the myth of the single market, arguing that t...

Furthermore, with respect to our trade deficit, as I have said on a number of occasions, in 2012,...

So that we can be clear about the hon. Gentleman’s position, does he favour the United Kingdom ha...

I have made my position entirely clear on a number of occasions. We need to have something in the...

My hon. Friend has been tempted on numerous occasions by Opposition Members to debate the merits ...

I think my hon. Friend can be certain that I am not likely to be seduced, either by the Oppositio...

Many hon. Members wish to speak so I will keep my remarks as brief as possible.

I am deligh...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman and his party for their support for this important Bill. We have...

It is important to make the point that this is not only a vote on something that is important to ...

Before my right hon. Friend moves on from his point about the Labour party’s approach to the issu...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I have talked on more than one occasion in this House about t...

Does the right hon. Gentleman accept that in fact fundamental change is going on already, and tha...

Yes, I agree. That is why it is not enough merely to have it enshrined in law that there will be ...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

Yes, and then I will make more progress.

Is it not a fact that any referendum that was held would be on the treaty change, not on in or ou...

The hon. Lady makes a very important and fundamental point. That is why this Bill is so significa...

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

I will not give way any more because I want to make progress. I am conscious that others still wi...

As Chairman of the Northern Ireland Committee, I congratulate the Democratic Unionist party on ta...

The hon. Gentleman makes a very important point. He reminds the House and the public of the pledg...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

No. Having said that I would be brief, I want to conclude my remarks and not get sidetracked any ...

rose—

Order. May I again say to hon. Members that they just need to look around the Chamber to see how ...

I hope I will set an appropriate example, Madam Deputy Speaker, in my brief speech.

It is a...

On a point of information, the question in 1975 was not about the European Economic Community, bu...

I did say that it was widely referred to as the Common Market. It was called the European Economi...

I had the good fortune a long time ago of working as a bag carrier for Edward Heath in his privat...

My hon. Friend makes a very good point.

My point is simply that we have seen a gradual exte...

The hon. Gentleman says that he wants out. Does he accept that Norway, which has not joined the E...

That is an interesting point, but I do not want to get drawn down the road of talking about the m...

Thank you for your brevity, Mr Nuttall.

12.24 pm

It is a pleasure to speak in this debate, and I congratulate the hon. Member for Stockton South (...

rose—

I am sure the hon. Gentleman will have a chance to speak; I will not take an intervention because...

Thank you for calling me, Madam Deputy Speaker; I will be brief.

I thank my hon. Friend the...

Does my hon. Friend agree that when we had the referendum in 1975, it was about a common market? ...

Absolutely right. There is a growing frustration on the part of the people, which is borne out of...

If letting the people have their say is so important, why is it that of all the Conservative Gove...

The previous Labour Government had plenty of opportunities to grant a referendum on this issue, b...

Does the hon. Lady not find it strange that the last Labour Government had 13 years to renegotiat...

The hon. Gentleman is right. If passed, the Bill will trigger a debate throughout the nation and ...

On the subject of giving people choice, the fishing industry has felt the brunt of EU legislation...

As ever, the hon. Gentleman makes a valuable contribution. It is under this Government that we ha...

Does my hon. Friend agree that the Labour party, which continually complains about uncertainty, s...

Another valid point, but I can also see the merit of the British people having the time, up to 20...

May I begin by joining other right hon. and hon. Members in congratulating the hon. Member for St...

Is the right hon. Gentleman convinced that he will be able to persuade his colleagues on the Oppo...

Absolutely not. I am merely a humble Back Bencher. We need to do our best to persuade those on th...

Does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that this goes to the heart of democracy, when so many pe...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman. The fact is that we need to reconnect by allowing people to have...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for giving way. We have a great deal in common, as he has just s...

I absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman. We must give the whole debate over from this House. W...

The hon. Gentleman is making an interesting point. I knew that those were his opinions because I ...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. Actually, I think the British people know the i...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

Yes, but many Members want to speak, so I give way for the last time.

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman and I praise him for the candour of his approach to thi...

I think the member states know that the current situation is unsustainable and that they understa...

This has been a thought-provoking debate—and, in some places, just provoking! I would say to the ...

If the hon. Gentleman is so keen on talking about Liberal Democrat policy on a former referendum,...

I was not, in fact, the only Liberal Democrat Member here, and my colleagues are probably focused...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who is my neighbour, for giving way. He talks about history repe...

The point is that we can be in favour of reform, but not necessarily make that conditional on ref...

rose—

I had better not give way repeatedly, but I shall give way to the hon. Gentleman for one final ti...

I am sorry that the leader of the hon. Gentleman’s party was not able to flip a few lentil burger...

I have already spelled out very clearly our position, which is exactly the same one as we took at...

Order. Many conversations are going on. I know that not many people may be agreeing with Mr Horwo...

I am very grateful, Mr Deputy Speaker. The chances of the Conservative party getting as far as 20...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I do not think I had better. I am really looking forward to seeing the variety of different Conse...

The hon. Gentleman has now made one of the longest speeches. May I ask him, with all due respect:...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his advice, which should probably have come from the Chai...

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. With the greatest respect, would you remind Members that ...

I can see frustrations building up in the Chamber. I think that Mr Horwood is trying to give us a...

Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I shall draw my remarks to a close. Even if hon. Members ...

There have been many articulate and clever speeches during this debate. I exclude the last speech...

Will my hon. Friend give way?

I will give way briefly and only this time.

I thank my hon. Friend. The economic arguments that I have heard today are nonsense. We have a gi...

I agree. The arguments lack quantification—that would be one way of putting it. On the notion tha...

Will my hon. Friend give way?

No. A lot of people want to speak.

I will vote for the Bill today. It is not a perfect Bill...

rose—

Order. If we have very short speeches, most hon. Members will be able to speak.

1.12 pm

There are a number of good reasons why we should remain members of the European Union, and there ...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will forgive me, but I do not want to take any interventions.

Will my hon. Friend give way?

I am sorry, but I am not going to give way at all.

We have not had a referendum on our rela...

Napoleon said, “When you see your enemy tearing himself apart, don’t interrupt him.” Therefore, i...

Or the opposite.

In this case it is the opposite. On this occasion, I think that the pure messenger should be allo...

Will the hon. Lady give way?

Yes.

I am grateful to the hon. Lady, who has great credentials. Does she agree that any future Governm...

Yes, they will.

That takes me on to the one thought that I want people to take away with th...

I add my congratulations to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton South (James Wharton) on secur...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I am going to crack on and be quick. I want to speak for just a couple of minutes because I am co...

rose—

No, I have spoken for too long already.

In conclusion, I take issue with the right hon. Mem...

I, like my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Ms Stuart), congratulate the hon. Me...

Three and a half million jobs, Frank.

That sort of intervention is pathetic. I think it is quite reasonable to congratulate the hon. Me...

It is an honour to follow the distinguished right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr Field), with who...

This morning, I was in the Tea Room. It was packed with salivating Tories. The atmosphere was tha...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Time is short so I will not. The Bill seeks to create four long years of damaging uncertainty abo...

It is not surprising that most people want this referendum. Seven out of 10 people have never had...

May I add my congratulations to the hon. Member for Stockton South (James Wharton) on winning the...

On that point, does the hon. Lady agree that the general public want a level playing field in Eur...

To me, this referendum is not just about politicians trusting the people, but about people beginn...

This is an historic day. For the first time in nearly 40 years, a major political party of Govern...

Will my hon. Friend give way?

No, I am going to finish now.

When we get to that point, unless major concessions are made ...

As much brevity as possible. Andrew Miller.

1.46 pm

The national interest is now measured by the interests of the Conservative party. I find that ext...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

No, I am not going to give way.

My constituency is dominated by manufacturing companies tha...

I will endeavour to be brief. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton South (James ...

I have not got much time. First, I congratulate the hon. Member for Stockton South (James Wharton...

I rise to support the Bill and I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton South (James...

I shall try to be as brief as possible. It is traditional to congratulate the winner of the priva...

May I first join Members on both sides in congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton S...

claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36).

Question put forthwith, That the Quest...

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. As you know, a large number of colleagues on both sides o...

First, I congratulate all right hon. and hon. Members who did speak, because 29 managed to get in...