---

European Union (Amendment) Bill

Like other right hon. and hon. Members, I supported the Labour party's 2005 manifesto commitment to have a referendum on the EU constitution. Some 240 clauses of the amended treaty are the same as the ones in the EU constitution. The 10 that are different relate to symbolic elements, as the Danish Prime Minister said. I listened to what the Foreign Secretary and the Liberal Democrat spokesman said. I believe that the Foreign Secretary is an honourable man, but there are other honourable men and women who spoke on the issue after the treaty was agreed. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said:"““The substance of the constitution is preserved. That is a fact.””" Jose Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister, said:"““We have not let a single substantial point of the constitution treaty go…It is, without a doubt, much more than a treaty. This is a project of foundational character, a treaty for a new Europe.”” " Bertie Ahern, the Irish Prime Minister, said:"““90 per cent. of it is still there…these changes haven't made any dramatic change to the substance of what was agreed in 2004””."