European Union Bill Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Radice
Main Page: Lord Radice (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Radice's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(13 years, 3 months ago)
Lords ChamberI was invited to comment before I sat down, so I shall. I am grateful for the Minister’s intervention and, in particular, for his comment, which is now on the record and which many of us will be pleased to hear, that he does not exclude treaty change in future. As he knows, the drift of my argument this morning has been that it is wrong to make the distinction between changes in decisions and changes in voting procedures. Often the best way to get the right decision will be via a change in the voting method. That is exactly the argument that I was making. I do not need to repeat myself, because I know that the noble Lord always listens to my comments with the greatest attention.
I am most grateful for that flattering comment from my noble friend Lord Radice.
That is exactly the burden of my remarks this morning. In adapting, as any institution needs to do, to the challenges of the future, we should not exclude doing so by decisions within the existing structures and rules, or the need, where necessary, to evolve those rules. That is a false and damaging distinction to enshrine in our law.