It is with both sadness and pleasure that I speak in this debate as a tribute to my dear friend, Richard Shepherd, a friendship that extended almost 40 years. I have written a tribute to Richard in this week’s House magazine. He was one of my closest political and personal...

It is with both sadness and pleasure that I speak in this debate as a tribute to my dear friend, Richard Shepherd, a friendship that extended almost 40 years. I have written a tribute to Richard in this week’s House magazine. He was one of my closest political and personal...

I am greatly moved by the speech by my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Sir William Cash) and the memory of our friend the former Member for Aldridge-Brownhills, whom, as a new Member, one was rather scared of, because his emotion could be so overpowering and his passion could...

I am greatly moved by the speech by my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Sir William Cash) and the memory of our friend the former Member for Aldridge-Brownhills, whom, as a new Member, one was rather scared of, because his emotion could be so overpowering and his passion could...

What is so striking about all those quotations from parliamentary colleagues is that they are absolutely interchangeable. They were all written separately and they all said the same things. I can take that one step further because in preparation for this event this evening, I took the trouble to look...

What is so striking about all those quotations from parliamentary colleagues is that they are absolutely interchangeable. They were all written separately and they all said the same things. I can take that one step further because in preparation for this event this evening, I took the trouble to look...

It is a great pleasure to follow my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest East (Dr Lewis), and I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Sir William Cash) on his very moving speech. I had the pleasure of knowing Sir Richard, not for as many years...

It is a great pleasure to follow my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest East (Dr Lewis), and I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Sir William Cash) on his very moving speech. I had the pleasure of knowing Sir Richard, not for as many years...

I want to add a little bit to what my hon. Friend has just said. He was followed immediately after that speech by no less a person than Mr Peter Shore, the great Labour exponent of dislike of the idea of European government. He said:

“I think that the House will...

I want to add a little bit to what my hon. Friend has just said. He was followed immediately after that speech by no less a person than Mr Peter Shore, the great Labour exponent of dislike of the idea of European government. He said:

“I think that the House will...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. I have that text in front of me. When I was a teenager, my father lived in Canada and I spent a lot of time going over there. Peter Shore was for a while the Trade Secretary or Transport Secretary and tried to...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. I have that text in front of me. When I was a teenager, my father lived in Canada and I spent a lot of time going over there. Peter Shore was for a while the Trade Secretary or Transport Secretary and tried to...

Richard Shepherd was a gentle spirit and a poetic soul, as illustrated by the contributions of my right hon. and hon. Friends. I simply want to add to the accounts of his generosity, civility and courtesy. I invited Richard to speak in my constituency, and with typical humility he said,...

Richard Shepherd was a gentle spirit and a poetic soul, as illustrated by the contributions of my right hon. and hon. Friends. I simply want to add to the accounts of his generosity, civility and courtesy. I invited Richard to speak in my constituency, and with typical humility he said,...

I apologise, Madam Deputy Speaker, because I got stuck trying to get back for this debate. I will not detain the House for long, because I know that my hon. Friend the Minister will want to say something herself because of her own connection with Sir Richard Shepherd.

I arrived in...

I apologise, Madam Deputy Speaker, because I got stuck trying to get back for this debate. I will not detain the House for long, because I know that my hon. Friend the Minister will want to say something herself because of her own connection with Sir Richard Shepherd.

I arrived in...

I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Sir William Cash) for introducing so ably this very important debate, which has been graced by a number of wonderful tributes to Sir Richard Shepherd that I cannot hope to match. All I would say is that in my 20 years...

I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Sir William Cash) for introducing so ably this very important debate, which has been graced by a number of wonderful tributes to Sir Richard Shepherd that I cannot hope to match. All I would say is that in my 20 years...

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. He also sought to be Speaker, and he received 136 votes in that contest. Heaven alone knows what would have happened if he had managed to win it.

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. He also sought to be Speaker, and he received 136 votes in that contest. Heaven alone knows what would have happened if he had managed to win it.

Let me first convey my grateful thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Sir William Cash) for securing the debate, and for sharing with us all so many memories and so many stories, but also for sharing his tributes with those of colleagues. You shared one of your...

Let me first convey my grateful thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Sir William Cash) for securing the debate, and for sharing with us all so many memories and so many stories, but also for sharing his tributes with those of colleagues. You shared one of your...

Agreed to on question.

Agreed to on question.

Debate on a motion that Mr Michael J Martin do take the Chair of this House as Speaker. Amendment that Sir Alan Haselhurst take the Chair negatived on division (345 to 140). Amendment that Mr Alan Beith take the Chair negatived on division (409 to 83). Amendment that Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody take the Chair negatived on division (341 to 170). Amendment that Sir George Young take the Chair negatived on division (317 to 241). Amendment that Mr Menzies Campbell take the Chair negatived on division (381 to 98). Amendment that Dr David Clark take the Chair negatived on division (257 to 192). Amendment that Mr Nicholas Winterton take the Chair negatived on division (340 to 116). Amendment that Mr John McWilliam take the Chair negatived on division (309 to 30). Amendment that Mr Michael Lord take the Chair negatived on division (290 to 146). Amendment that Mr Michael Lord take the Chair negatived on division (290 to 146). Amendment that Sir Patrick Cormack take the Chair negatived on division (287 to 130). Amendment that Mr Richard Shepherd take the Chair negatived on division (282 to 136). Main question agreed on division (370 to 8). (Part 2 of 2).

Debate on a motion that Mr Michael J Martin do take the Chair of this House as Speaker. Amendment that Sir Alan Haselhurst take the Chair negatived on division (345 to 140). Amendment that Mr Alan Beith take the Chair negatived on division (409 to 83). Amendment that Mrs Gwyneth...

Debate on a motion that Mr Michael J Martin do take the Chair of this House as Speaker. Amendment that Sir Alan Haselhurst take the Chair negatived on division (345 to 140). Amendment that Mr Alan Beith take the Chair negatived on division (409 to 83). Amendment that Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody take the Chair negatived on division (341 to 170). Amendment that Sir George Young take the Chair negatived on division (317 to 241). Amendment that Mr Menzies Campbell take the Chair negatived on division (381 to 98). Amendment that Dr David Clark take the Chair negatived on division (257 to 192). Amendment that Mr Nicholas Winterton take the Chair negatived on division (340 to 116). Amendment that Mr John McWilliam take the Chair negatived on division (309 to 30). Amendment that Mr Michael Lord take the Chair negatived on division (290 to 146). Amendment that Mr Michael Lord take the Chair negatived on division (290 to 146). Amendment that Sir Patrick Cormack take the Chair negatived on division (287 to 130). Amendment that Mr Richard Shepherd take the Chair negatived on division (282 to 136). Main question agreed on division (370 to 8). (Part 1 of 2).

Debate on a motion that Mr Michael J Martin do take the Chair of this House as Speaker. Amendment that Sir Alan Haselhurst take the Chair negatived on division (345 to 140). Amendment that Mr Alan Beith take the Chair negatived on division (409 to 83). Amendment that Mrs Gwyneth...