1. "Mr. Cameron: The Prime Minister should understand that either the treaty is dead or it is not. I simply do not understand why he does not have the courage to say that it is dead. This is not a treaty that Britain wanted or needed; it is a treaty that he was so ashamed of that he had to sign it in a room all on his own. Because the Prime Minister will not take a lead and declare the treaty dead, everyone suspects that he and others in Europe will make the Irish vote again. Will he guarantee that he would never support such an arrogant and high-handed move? Would not it be ridiculous to ask the Irish to vote twice when we have not even been allowed to vote once?
The Prime Minister: To follow on the right hon. Gentleman’s first question, it is surely for the Irish to decide what they want to do—not for him to tell them what they want to do, or for us to tell them what they want to do.
The right hon. Gentleman forgets all the time during this discussion that 60 per cent. of our trade is with the European Union, that 3 million jobs depend on the European Union, and that his party supports the enlargement of the European Union. The whole purpose of the treaty is to put in place the institutional arrangements that make the enlargement possible. Once again, the Conservative party wills the ends but does not support the means."
Ignoring the misdirection that somehow the UK's trade with other EU countries would stop if the UK left the EU, does Gordon Brown in any way answer the question?
2. "Mr. Cameron: The Prime Minister says that this is a matter for the Irish people, but the Irish people have spoken. They have said no. Which part of “No” does the Prime Minister not understand?
The Prime Minister says that he does not want to bully Ireland, but does he not understand that continuing with the ratification process is doing precisely that? The Foreign Secretary says that we must proceed in order to express a British view. If the Prime Minister wants to hear a British view, why does he not ask the British people?
The Prime Minister: The last time a Conservative Government were in power, when the Maastricht treaty came up the then Prime Minister came to the House and said
“our partners propose to complete the ratification procedures. We share that judgment, and intend to continue with the passage of the Bill.”—[ Official Report, 3 June 1992; Vol. 208, c. 827.]
And that is what they did.
As for the referendum, the Conservatives opposed a referendum on Maastricht, which is about more integration. They opposed a referendum on the Single European Act when they were in power. They even opposed the initial referendum on membership of the European Union. Even now, they cannot give a straight answer on whether they support a post-ratification referendum. This is not a position of principle; it is opposition for opposition’s sake, once again."
Question unanswered but a really irrelevant reference to history.
3. "Mr. Hugo Swire (East Devon) (Con): While the situation in Zimbabwe is tragically worsening by the hour, the United Nations Security Council remains paralysed by China and by Russia. Will the Prime Minister now show some leadership by summoning the Chinese ambassador, reminding her that the eyes of the world are on China and Beijing in the run-up to the Olympics, and that the Chinese Government should cease immediately financially shoring up what the Prime Minister has rightly described as Mugabe’s “criminal regime”?
The Prime Minister: It is right that it is a criminal regime run by a criminal cabal, and we must make that clear to the rest of the world, but the hon. Gentleman is wrong to say that the UN Secretary-General has not been taking action. He has met President Mugabe and made it clear that he wants a human rights envoy into the country. Arrangements are being made for that human rights envoy to go into the country, and the United Nations Secretary-General has made it clear that his eyes are on a free and fair election. He is supporting the number of monitors who will come from outside Africa for that election, and that is what we support, as well."
Question unanswered and not even a reference to China and their attempts to takeover much of Africa.
4. "Ann Winterton (Congleton) (Con): Three cheers for the Irish, Mr. Speaker! How can the Prime Minister expect the people of this country to obey our laws and to trust the Government if the Government themselves flagrantly ignore the European Union rule that if a treaty is opposed—rejected—by just one country, it falls?
The Prime Minister: It is the Conservative party all over again; there it is, viscerally anti-European, and the truth is that it has not changed a bit. We all know the agenda of the hon. Lady and many Conservatives: they do not just want to defeat the treaty; they want us out of Europe altogether. That would be bad for Britain."
And answer came there none.
I suggest that one week at PMQs David Cameron asks one simple question and when he fails to get a proper answer (which he wont) just repeats it for his whole stint. Then each Conservative MP asks the same question. Can you imagine the fury on Gordon Brown's face? The fist clenching, the jaw clamping...
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