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European Commission

That might be a long-term approach, but in the short term the decision went in favour of employers, not employees. However, that is just an aside. I wanted to talk in general about several economic aspects of the European Union. Like a number of people in the Labour party, both inside and outside Parliament, I oppose the Lisbon treaty. I did not just support a referendum, but I would have voted no. It is interesting that Ireland, which has been referred to, is holding a referendum today, and there is a possibility of a no vote, which would save us an awful lot of trouble. I hope that there will be a no vote. I should welcome that and cheer it. I should probably have a glass of good French champagne to celebrate. The skies would not fall in; we would have the status quo, which is far too integrated even now. I am one of those people who would have liked, as I have said many times here and in the main Chamber, a referendum on the Single European Act and on the Maastricht treaty. Those fairly fundamental changes were the change of direction—the real speeding up of the process of integration towards what I believe is a state of Europe, or a country of Europe, which will eventually completely marginalise the elected nation state Governments and Parliaments.