Serious and Organised Crime: Prüm Convention

Debate between Michael Ellis and Damian Green

Tuesday 8th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Michael Ellis (Northampton North) (Con)]

You’re the first.

[Damian Green]

I may be the first Member to do so on this side of the House, but I am sure that I will not be the last.

In this case, I want to refer to a concept that Lenin introduced: that of the useful idiot. It refers to people who do something by accident that gives comfort to those whom they normally oppose. I am afraid that some arguments against this proposal fall into that category. I know that my right hon. and hon. Friends who are advancing these arguments are not idiots, so I urge them to think hard, and possibly not to press the amendment.

This kind of European co-operation in fighting serious crime and terrorism is essential in today’s dangerous world. It is to the European Union’s credit that it has devised a practical system to help keep people safer, and to the credit of the British Government that they have agreed to sign up to it. I hope that tonight the House will agree on that significant step forward in fighting terrorism and serious international crime.