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Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

I am grateful to the hon. and learned Gentleman, because I did not think that my memory was playing tricks. We said in the manifesto—[Hon. Members: "Here we go!"] Well, I am reading it, in the interests of greater accuracy. After stating what the constitutional treaty will ensure, the manifesto reads:""We will put it to the British people in a referendum and campaign…for a 'Yes' vote"." The Conservative party is trying to say otherwise, but there is a world of difference between that constitutional treaty, which hit the dust, and the Lisbon treaty. That latter is simply an amending treaty to existing treaties, and no different in character from Maastricht or its predecessors, which the Opposition never put to the British people when they were in power.