EU: Financial Assistance to Member States

Lord Stoddart of Swindon Excerpts

Monday 19th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hannay of Chiswick]

My Lords—

[Lord Stoddart of Swindon]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that Members of the House can speak from any Bench they wish? Does he recall that until 1985 the Labour Party was in favour of complete withdrawal from the European Union?

On the Question, should not the Government ensure that the European Commission and European authorities obey their own laws and not expect member countries to obey laws on pain of a fine?

[Lord Sassoon]

My Lords, as regards Article 125, about which we are talking today, there has been no suggestion that the Commission or anyone else has proposed anything illegal under the treaty. Indeed, Her Majesty’s Government take their own legal advice to confirm that position.