EU: Membership

Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville Excerpts

Thursday 5th December 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Popat]

My Lords, there is no question of leaving the EU, which is very important for trade and prosperity. But we need a reformed EU, in particular for SMEs and micro-businesses.

[Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville (Con)]

My Lords, as the Official Opposition state that an in-out referendum makes for uncertainty but decline to rule out an in-out referendum themselves, does my noble friend find that this is an instinctively convincing and coherent position?

[Lord Popat]

My Lords, there is already uncertainty, and ignoring it will not make it go away. We have a credible, certain referendum plan and we need to let the British people decide.