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Proceeding contribution from Baroness Williams of Crosby (Liberal Democrat) in the House of Lords on Monday, 23 May 2011. It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL) and Debate on bill on European Union Bill.

European Union Bill

The noble Lord has made a very good case for the weakness of referenda. However, I ask him to consider a little further back in history. He may recall that in 1975 there was a referendum in this country, which was carried by a substantial majority, on whether we should stay in the European Economic Community, as it then was. Less than five years later the Labour Party, then in opposition, voted at its conference to leave the European Community. This is not quite as clearly somebody else’s problem as the noble Lord suggests.

Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
727 c1616 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Crime Administration of justice EU law Electoral Commission Legislation European communities EU justice and home affairs Powers Newspaper press Referendums Parliamentary scrutiny Sovereignty Treaties Reform Treaty on European Union UK membership of EU Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union Treaty of Lisbon
Legislation
European Communities Act 1972
European Union Bill 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk