(7 years ago)
Commons ChamberGiven the concerns in the House, will my right hon. and learned Friend tell us which party introduced such legislation in the 19th century?
Yes, indeed: the Conservative party did precisely that. There is a proud record in the Conservative party—as, indeed, there is in the Opposition—of contribution to that process. I make it quite clear that I do not put the smallest imputation that those on the Treasury Bench, or on any of my colleagues in government, want to reduce those protections one bit.