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European Union (Implications of Withdrawal) Bill [HL]

My Lords, the noble Lord is presuming a lot, and perhaps some of the people in those two Governments are presuming. There remains a very strong wish throughout Europe for matters involving the further transfer of powers—particularly when those powers are transferred away rather than nearer to the people—to be subject to referendums. That is the wish in this country. That is the wish among many Frenchmen and the wish of many of my German friends. For Governments anywhere—though I speak for none, because I am a member of no Government—to ignore that or cavalierly to assert to the contrary that Europe is fine, everything is fine and we should stop worrying, is a dangerous path indeed. I think that those who hold that view will live to regret it.