INTERVENTION BY LORD STODDART OF SWINDON DURING A HOUSE OF LORDS DEBATE ON THE GOVERNMENT’S STATEMENT ON THE EU CONSITUTIONAL TREATY - 6.6.05
Lord Maclennan of Rogart: My Lords—
Lord Stoddart of Swindon: My Lords—
Lord Stoddart of Swindon: My Lords, it seems, having listened to the debate so far, that we want to change the rules mid-stream.
What this Statement should have said was that the constitutional treaty requires ratification by every one of the member states, now 25, before it can come into force. In the last week, however, as the House and country are well aware, in referenda the electors in France voted "No" by 55 per cent to 45 per cent and in the Netherlands by 62 per cent to 38 per cent. The treaty is therefore dead. It is dead.
The European Union Bill will be withdrawn and will not be reintroduced. That is what the Statement should have said under the existing rules and the law of the European Union. Since it has not said that, could I ask the Government whether they will now seek the opinion of the British people by immediately introducing a simple Bill to have a referendum, certainly by October, so that the views of the British people can be tested and they can give their opinion, which will help the Government in their further negotiations.
Lord Triesman: My Lords, no, we will not be introducing any such Bill, for the reasons that I gave in the Statement.
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