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European Communities (Finance) Bill

I hope that right hon. Friend will not ignore the Chief Secretary's other two specious arguments. The first was that the deal could have been worse if the Commission had had its way—a suggestion that represents the last resort of the scoundrel. The other was that any objection to what has been negotiated is somehow improper and that the House should not scrutinise the deal that was done. That is the Vichy argument, which has been used by malevolent or misguided Ministers for years in selling this country short.