European Union Referendum Bill

Will the Foreign Secretary give way?

I am going to make a little progress, bearing in mind Mr Speaker’s exhortation.

It is almos...

There must have been some strange juxtapositions in the campaign held in the 1970s, in which I to...

Call me negligent, but as an 18-year-old voter in that election, I did not actually read the trea...

Two weeks ago I was in North Uist and met one of my constituents, who is from Germany. She has li...

If the hon. Gentleman can bear to stop wagging his finger and wait for a little, I will come to t...

In the Foreign Secretary’s opening remarks, he referred to the number of changes that have taken ...

The answer to question No. 1 is no and the answer to question No. 2 is that the Prime Minister ha...

I applaud my right hon. Friend’s opening remarks and the Prime Minister for making certain that w...

My hon. Friend’s question is germane to the point I am making.

For the good of all 28 count...

I understand my right hon. Friend’s point about the pressures of increased numbers coming to work...

I am very happy to do so. I do not think anybody—or at least not very many people—in this country...

The Secretary of State said earlier that he thought Brussels had too much power. Will he tell the...

I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman has just fallen into the obvious trap. He knows that a negoti...

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I need to make some progress.

There are those who will say that this process cannot succeed...

The Foreign Secretary is taking a lot of noise and advice from those on the Labour Benches, but m...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. When the electorate considers the stated positions of the par...

Does the Foreign Secretary believe that, when the Prime Minister completes these unspecified nego...

I will let my hon. Friend the Member for Stone speak for himself in the course of the debate. I a...

None of the concessions that the Prime Minister has so far obtained from the European Union, incl...

My hon. Friend is right, of course. I have already mentioned an area in which we need fundamental...

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I must make some progress.

Of course, negotiating with 27 member states will not be easy an...

It would be perfectly possible not to accept the Prime Minister’s negotiating stance but to want ...

No. We made a proposal to the British people, it was put to the test in the general election and ...

I welcome my right hon. Friend’s comments about Gibraltar, which will be warmly welcomed by the p...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that intervention and I intend to stick to the position I hav...

Speaking as somebody who worked in the Treasury between 1999 and 2005, may I remind the Foreign S...

The hon. Gentleman will have been at the heart of the angry and temper-ridden debates that went o...

I want to press the Foreign Secretary again on the question of extending the franchise to 16 and ...

My personal view on the extension of the franchise is that we would be better expending our effor...

Has the Foreign Secretary seen the national opinion poll today that shows that the majority of Br...

Yes, and today we are ensuring that our partners in Europe understand that this is not about maki...

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I shall give way one more time, to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Richard Graham), and...

On the question of European nationals voting in this referendum, will the Foreign Secretary confi...

As far as I am aware, that is not the case. I note with interest that just this weekend it was re...

Is that not what a lot of people are concerned about—that the Government will use the apparatus o...

Let me complete my remarks on this section, and then I will come back to my hon. Friend’s point. ...

I remember that one of the arguments that I made on my party’s behalf during debates on the Polit...

I agree with my right hon. and learned Friend’s sentiments. I hope that he recognises that I have...

I want to ask the Foreign Secretary a particular question about the renegotiation. I think that t...

I am delighted to see that the right hon. Gentleman is robust in his defence of the interests of ...

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

I need to conclude my remarks because many Members wish to contribute.

Few subjects ignite ...

This Bill will set before the British people a clear and simple question: should the United Kingd...

I am delighted that the Labour party now agrees that the British people deserve a choice and a vo...

We agree that the European Union needs to change. Like many people, we want to see reform in Euro...

Given that the EU has fundamentally changed since the early 1970s when we joined it, it is right ...

The hon. Gentleman would recognise that there are differences of view within the EU about its fut...

The Conservatives criticised us when we were in office for taking the people further into Europe,...

My hon. Friend is entirely right. There are lots of people who have changed their minds on Europe...

Does my right hon. Friend agree that those of us

who were i...

It is clear that my hon. Friend takes great pleasure from the discomfort that is already evident ...

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I shall make a little more progress, then I will give way further.

Let me say to the Foreig...

Does the shadow Secretary of State agree that an example of the need for radical reform of our re...

I do not agree with the hon. Gentleman.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that if this referendum is to be considered free and fair it ...

We would be very happy to look at all amendments that come forward during consideration of the Bi...

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain exactly what he thinks Ministers will have to be able to do ...

As I understand the argument, it relates to section 125 of the Political Parties, Elections and R...

My right hon. Friend will realise that the issue is so toxic to the Conservative party that it ca...

Everybody in the country and in the House will have to wait and see what deal the Prime Minister ...

In order for the result to be accepted and for it to be long lasting and settle the question for ...

Everybody in the House would agree that the referendum must be fair and must be seen to be fair, ...

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I will give way one more time at this stage, then I will make progress.

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend, who is extremely generous with his time. A number of const...

My view is that the question is perfectly clear and very simple. I do not think that anyone who g...

It is perhaps an ill-chosen day to talk about the history of parties changing views on the matter...

First, I set out earlier the changes we would wish to see, but change is not just a function of o...

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

I am going to make some more progress, because I have been extremely generous in giving way.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is odd that the Government’s position on the Wales Act 20...

My hon. Friend makes a powerful point as to why the franchise should be extended.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Prime Minister was not forced to give 16 and 17-year-old...

I agree completely with my hon. Friend. When the Minister for Europe winds up the debate, perhaps...

Does the shadow Foreign Secretary agree that, since nearly one in four 16-year-olds can expect to...

I agree with the hon. Lady completely, and I look forward to joining her in the Division Lobby wh...

Turnout is obviously an issue of concern for all of us. Does my right hon. Friend agree that usin...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right and makes a powerful point. We want a debate and for everybody...

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

I am going to bring my remarks to a close, because so many other Members want to speak and I am b...

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No; I am going to bring my remarks to a close.

All of us have a stake in answering the foll...

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Order. We will begin with a 10-minute limit on Back-Bench speeches.

1.41 pm

This is a great day, a remarkable moment: we have a Conservative majority—now, I am delighted to ...

I would recall other mentors who were in the House when I first entered it, such as the late Lord...

I am glad to have the endorsement of those key figures from the Opposition Benches.

I want ...

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

No, I want to finish my comments because other Members want to speak.

The question we have ...

In calling the right hon. Member for Gordon (Alex Salmond), I remind the House that as his party’...

I beg to move an amendment, to leave out from “That” to the end of the Question and add:

Th...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

I give way to the right hon. Gentleman, who knows a great deal about collective responsibility, i...

The nation would like to hear a debate about the United Kingdom’s relationship with the EU; not t...

I remember when John Major, as Prime Minister, ironically thanked the right hon. Gentleman for re...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

I am in the fortunate position, as Mr Speaker said, of not being bound by the 10-minute rule. I w...

Will the right hon. Gentleman explain why the same arguments that were deployed by people like hi...

One wonders how long it took the hon. Gentleman, when he was lying in bed this morning, like the ...

I have to say, the right hon. Gentleman is doing absolutely nothing to reduce the reputation for ...

If it was two or three weeks ago that the hon. Gentleman was campaigning against the referendum, ...

I wasn’t.

On a manifesto of—

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Order. We cannot have two people on their feet at the same time. I hope that it is a point of ord...

Is it in order for the right hon. Member for Gordon (Alex Salmond) to say that that I was campaig...

I do not think the right hon. Member for Gordon said anything disorderly. I think the safest thin...

You are correct, Mr Speaker, but the record will show that what I said was that the hon. Gentlema...

I have a letter from a young constituent, Matthew Terras, who got to vote in the referendum and w...

My hon. Friend puts her point extremely well, and I hope that the Foreign Secretary was paying at...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

Yes, for the last time.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that the Conservative Government are playing into his hands i...

Both the Conservative and Labour parties have played into the Scottish National party’s hands on ...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

As it is the hon. Gentleman, I will give way.

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman. He is surely aware that the population of London, whic...

I know that many people in the Labour party find the argument about the difference between a coun...

May I take the right hon. Gentleman back a moment to his arguments about the franchise? Is he arg...

The silence was action. The Government that I led defended in court—I am surprised the right hon....

I have to tell the right hon. Member for Gordon (Alex Salmond) that, though I enjoyed his speech ...

I think that I have one over my right hon. and learned Friend in that I have been the president o...

My right hon. Friend appears to believe that we can somehow have all the advantages of the Europe...

Will my right hon. and learned Friend give way?

I will not, because we are under a time limit and other people want to speak. I apologise to my h...

Will my right hon. and learned Friend give way?

I cannot as there is a time limit.

The Swiss do not have access to large parts of the marke...

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Order. On account of the level of interest, I am afraid an eight-minute limit must now apply.

It is a pleasure to follow my constituent and fellow diner at the wonderful Kennington Tandoori i...

Will the hon. Lady give way?

No, not at the moment, thank you.

So, the question of purdah is really important.

The...

Will the hon. Lady give way?

No, thank you.

So, I am very clear on that question, too, and glad that my party also suppo...

Will the hon. Lady give way?

I will, because the hon. Gentleman is a friend—and he lives on an island.

I am very grateful. The hon. Lady raises the spectre of the European Commission intervening. Is s...

If I can decipher that, I know the European Parliament does not actually have that much power; I ...

It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Lady, who speaks for Vauxhall. I agree with almost ever...

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Basing an outcome purely on a selfish, regional—

Order. We cannot have two people on their feet at the same time. If the right hon. Lady does not ...

I will give way to the right hon. Gentleman.

I will not go into feather-bedding and 30 years of oil revenues, but I do wonder where this argum...

This is not the United States of America, and the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland ...

As someone who has been involved in campaigning for a referendum on this subject for many years—a...

The right hon. Gentleman has been a voice of consistency and reason on this issue for a long time...

Yes, we certainly will. I detect across both sides of the House a desire to come together on some...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

I have to conclude because I do not have very much time left.

We will stand by our long hel...

This referendum Bill, which I in principle strongly applaud, is the culmination of over 20 years ...

May I take up the hon. Gentleman’s point about the need for a fair campaign on the referendum? It...

I entirely agree. The European Scrutiny Committee was unanimous in its report, which was severely...

That is the most fundamental point that must be addressed by those who want us to remain in the E...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right.

Removing the words “ever closer union”—which have never...

My hon. Friend is quite right. In 1971 we had unanimity when making European laws, but once made,...

It was for precisely to deal with that problem that I set up the Maastricht referendum campaign. ...

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Order. I am now imposing a seven-minute limit. I call Mr Justin Madders to make a maiden speech.<...

Thank you for calling me, Mr Deputy Speaker. I understand that during my maiden speech I am unlik...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Justin Madders) on making such a go...

I certainly think the European Commission dictates what it wants to do and, with majority voting ...

Our Government are represented in the Council of Ministers and the Parliament; that is the democr...

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I will, with some trepidation, give way to my hon. Friend.

I am glad my right hon. Friend has chosen to give way; my right hon. and learned Friend the Membe...

I will talk about the change in the relationship in a few seconds, but first I want to turn to th...

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I am sorry, but I am running out of time.

Those who argue that we should pull out of the EU...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

I am sorry, I have had my two interventions.

The other option is that of Switzerland. My ri...

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to make my maiden speech in this impo...

It is a great pleasure to congratulate the hon. Member for Ilford North (Wes Streeting) on his ma...

Do not most British people still want what many of them wrongly thought that they were voting for...

My right hon. Friend is perfectly correct. People in this country wanted to join a common market ...

I agree with everything the right hon. Gentleman is saying, but will he also reflect on the fact ...

Order. I think the message has been received.

Across the political spectrum in this country, many people believe we have been denied a genuine ...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Ilford North (Wes Streeting). He was very confident in his del...

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will tell us what powers the Liberal Democrats want to get back from B...

The right hon. Gentleman needs to address that question to his own Prime Minister and get some cl...

Is the hon. Gentleman not worried as I am that, no matter the result, some Conservative Members w...

Absolutely. I hope that the outcome of the referendum, whatever it is, will give a certainty abou...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

I will not give way. I have given way twice and many other people want to speak.

The Bill i...

Does the right hon. Gentleman accept that in what is now the European Union, it is quite usual fo...

States cannot pool sovereignty. They are either sovereign or they have given their power away. Th...

Did the right hon. Gentleman support Margaret Thatcher when she signed up to the Single European ...

No, of course I did not, and I gave her very strong advice not to sign up to the Single European ...

Following the right hon. Member for Wokingham (John Redwood), I must say that in my eyes it was n...

So far, it seems the scaremongering and the fear is on the yes side. Does the hon. Gentleman agre...

The hon. Gentleman may make that argument, but that is not how I see it. However, the point I am ...

The hon. Gentleman mentioned the view that the Electoral Commission has taken on what is the most...

I do believe that the Government would be well advised to change the question. We have seen this ...

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Order. Given the number of Members who want to take part in this debate, we have to drop the time...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for calling me to make my maiden speech as the new Member for Su...

It is a pleasure to follow the excellent speech of the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Scu...

I rise to give the Government my wholehearted support.

It is a pleasure to welcome you to t...

My hon. Friend is making a fine speech. On the economy, is it not the case that one does not have...

My hon. Friend knows my view about money and banking, which is that we should have market-based m...

Does my hon. Friend also accept that the eurozone is a de facto entity, whereas the question befo...

Indeed. It is important that there is a degree of flexibility in currency systems, and Alan Green...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is fantastic to see you in the Chair. This has been a brillia...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on taking a positive view of the referendum and on having done ...

Absolutely; without question.

I can see the benefits of our being part of the world’s bigge...

I am enjoying my hon. Friend’s good contribution. During the election campaign and over the past ...

That has been one of the impacts of our membership, and I know that my hon. Friend’s constituents...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to make my maiden speech in this House. I am hon...

Let me begin my maiden speech by congratulating you, Madam Deputy Speaker, on your election. I lo...

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship for the first time, Madam Deputy Speaker....

I ask the hon. Gentleman to reflect that the appetite for this referendum is not the same in all ...

Order.

What is going to happen—

Order. Please.

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Order. The hon. Gentleman’s contribution is an intervention, not a speech. When the Chair is stan...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I take on board the hon. Gentleman’s intervention and he m...

Let us not be too horrible to our colleagues who disagree with us or to the Labour party, which c...

My hon. Friend is far too kind, as always, but I was not making a point about any individual Memb...

Does the hon. Gentleman welcome the fact that all UK nationals, including those in Gibraltar, wil...

This is a Second Reading debate, so I want to support the principle of what is happening and to c...

First of all, Madam Deputy Speaker, may I say what an absolute pleasure it is to see you in the C...

I support all the points that the hon. Gentleman is making. He mentions the importance of democra...

The hon. Gentleman makes a very important point. Spending limits are crucial and I remember the v...

It is a pleasure to be called to speak in this debate, Madam Deputy Speaker, for three reasons. F...

My hon. Friend’s point reinforces why it will be so important that the facts are clearly laid bef...

I absolutely welcome that, and I hope that one thing that will come out of this referendum is a f...

Does my hon. Friend agree that this should not be an in/out referendum but a referendum on whethe...

The argument about an ever closer union has been won. That movement is dead, certainly as far as ...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I will not, because I have given way twice.

I have a few words of advice for the Prime Mini...

rose—

Order. Before I call the next speaker, could I make a plea to Members to keep speeches as short a...

May I start by congratulating you, Madam Deputy Speaker, on taking the Chair? It is well deserved...

Does the hon. Gentleman imagine that his party may have done better had it actually allowed voter...

I think we may have done slightly better, but I do not think it would have greatly affected the m...

It is a great pleasure to see you in the Chair, Madam Deputy Speaker. I congratulate you on your ...

Does the hon. Gentleman really think that the huge issue of the future of this country in Europe ...

That is a very interesting point, but my hon. Friends would have difficulty getting behind me her...

May I congratulate all the new Members who have made their maiden speeches today or are about to ...

It is a delight to follow the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Paul Farrelly) to give a slig...

Like all of my newly elected colleagues of all political persuasions from right across the green ...

I am sure Members will be unsurprised that I have stayed for the whole day of debate on a topic t...

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I apologise for interfering briefly in this important debate. On...

If the Government have anything to say about the report to which the right hon. Gentleman refers,...

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for calling me to give my maiden speech in this debate. It is a ...

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to speak. It is a great honour to represent ...

I thank every Member who has made their maiden speech today, especially the hon. Member for Weald...

If any region in the United Kingdom is the perfect example of the necessity for inward investment...

The north-east of England would be severely harmed, but not only the north-east—it would be the U...

Anyone who thinks that MPs are all the same would do well to listen to the excellent maiden speec...

I should like to begin by congratulating all the new Members who have made their maiden speeches ...

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for calling me to make my maiden speech in this debate. I had imagined mak...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for North Devon (Peter Heaton-Jones), who made a very ...

It is an honour to speak on a day of so many marvellous maiden speeches, and it is also an honour...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Matt Warman), whom I congratu...

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it would be very unwise for the Prime Minister to raise fals...

I understand the point that my hon. Friend makes. I believe that the reason the Prime Minister ha...

To be absolutely clear, as I said on the TV several times, the group has not laid out any red lin...

The hon. Gentleman is chairman of the group; I think it is reasonable to assume that he speaks fo...

Is not the position that the right hon. Gentleman is outlining that there is no conclusion to the...

The hon. Gentleman gets to the heart of the Conservatives’ negotiating stance. My answer to him i...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

I have given way a few times and would like to make progress.

Anticipating that situation, ...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

No, I want to make progress.

No one is arguing that the European Union is perfect, but it i...

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the issue of business and Europe is progressive, because big...

For businesses of all sizes, big and small, it makes no sense for us to put barriers and risks be...

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

No, I will not give way any more.

My right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds Central (Hilary...

Like the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton South East (Mr McFadden), I first wish to congratula...

Seventeen years ago I authored a pamphlet entitled, “Britain’s Place in the World: Time to Decide...

My hon. Friend is correct in what he says, and I believe that is what the Bill provides. The Bill...

The Minister has been here throughout the debate. He will have heard, from representatives from S...

What we are providing for in the Bill is a power to set a date by order. The only thing on the fa...

Will the Minister give way?

If my hon. Friend will forgive me, I have very little time and there were many points made in a v...

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker.

Would the hon. Gentleman care to come nearer to the Chair to make his point of order?

I cannot speak from here?

Not during a Division.

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. There is a great delay in the Aye Lobby because there ...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his point of order, and for bringing those pearls of wisdom to the...

I must indeed now ask the Serjeant at Arms to investigate the delay in the Aye Lobby.