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European Council: 14 December 2007

My Lords, is not the attack of the noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, on the Prime Minister totally predictable? Does it not underline the complete bankruptcy of the Conservative Opposition on anything to do with Europe? If the Prime Minister had attended the signing of the treaty, would he not have been accused of putting the interests of the EU before those of the UK? Equally, if he had not attended the committee, would he not have been pilloried for having ignored the requirements of Parliament? In other words, he could not do right according to the Opposition. As it is—and I hope that my noble friend will agree—the Prime Minister should be congratulated on rather than condemned for what he did.