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Mr. Gary Streeter (South-West Devon): This has been yet another excellent debate on Europe, with many telling contributions from hon. Members on both sides of the House. In his opening speech, the Foreign Secretary was, as usual, clever and witty, but had nothing to say. This is a Government without value, without substance and without principle. Above all the rest of the Cabinet, the Foreign Secretary is, perhaps, the very symbol of that. He spends his time attacking the Opposition. That may be good sport, but his technique was simply a ploy to hide his lack of policy.
The right hon. Gentleman referred to new Labour's welcome in Europe and they have had a warm welcome--that tends to happen when one caves in on vital national issues. He offered no real solutions to European unemployment. He did not tell us how the Luxembourg summit would create a single job either in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.
The Foreign Secretary was followed by the right hon. Member for Llanelli (Mr. Davies), who spoke as usual with great wisdom and accuracy. He has the respect of the House. He is one of the few Labour Members who is not dazzled by the bright lights of Brussels and he probed the Minister on the vital issue of the European rebate. I hope that the Minister will answer the questions put to him so robustly. I hope that he will be as diligent and robust in defending the rebate as we were when we were in government.
We heard an outstanding speech from my hon. Friend the Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox), who applied his penetrating intellect to the vital issue of the future of Europe. It was one of the best speeches that I have heard in my time in the House. He spoke of the need for Europe to be outward looking and of the need for a sustainable Europe. He exposed the weakness of some of the economic arguments behind the single currency. His pursuit of the truth of Treasury statistics on the currency of invoice is a noble crusade, and I wish him well with it. He demonstrated that the single currency is a political and not an economic project, and he was right to open up the debate that dare not speak its name and to discuss the future of Europe in a mature and intellectual way.
The hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Temple-Morris) followed my hon. Friend and set out his reasons for crossing the Floor. He is entitled to his view and to taking the action that he did. I do not suppose that all his constituents will see things as he saw them and he might be wise to reflect on whether it is a good idea to sell his shares in the company when it is at rock bottom. He may live to regret it when those shares are sky high again.
The hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) gave us what I would describe--not unkindly, I hope--as the classic Liberal Democrat speech. He toured the houses of Europe seeing both sides of the street at the same time, stopping from time to time for a committee meeting here and there and then pressing on with his all-embracing federal agenda. At least he is honest about that agenda, unlike his coalition partners--the Labour party--who soothe the electorate with soft-sounding words, while pursuing a centralist and integrationist agenda.
My hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Wells) has, if I may say so, really come into his own since being released from his vow of silence. He reminded
the House of the importance of this nation's cultural heritage and how any future Europe must be a respecter of individual cultures. It must be a Europe of nation states. He spoke of democratic accountability, of the dangers of a single currency and the tensions that it may well create.
He must be right to say that those are issues of great concern and that whatever the ultimate response of this Government and this country to a single currency, any progress towards it must be undertaken in the light of all the circumstances and with the utmost caution. The single currency is a unique experiment, which has never been tried before in the history of this planet. Whatever else happens, the utmost caution must be exercised before participating. The party in government lightly brushes aside those concerns and yet they are fundamental.
My hon. Friend also spoke with great knowledge about the European Union's relationship with the developing world. I hope that the Minister will take on board the points he raised.
Mr. Doug Henderson
indicated assent.
Mr. Streeter:
The Minister nods. That is the first response that I have had from him all week, so I am encouraged.
My hon. Friend the Member for Wantage (Mr. Jackson), in a measured and wise speech, spoke of the importance of legitimacy. I shall certainly read that speech in the morning. He was right to point out that a single currency is possible only if people have given their informed consent, and to make it clear that a referendum must take place on such a currency. He reviewed with great skill the options facing us in our relationship with Europe and discussed the problems of exercising each of those options. He made a compelling case for legitimacy. His speech is well worth a second look.
My hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) spoke with his usual passion and conviction about the plight of farmers in the United Kingdom, which has provoked the recent actions in Wales and Scotland. He explained the consequences of the collectivist approach of Europe--the damage being done to our farmers and fishermen--and explained the dangers of going too far down that road.
Finally, my hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Mr. Letwin) rightly probed the Government on their inability to garner extra influence abroad. He probed the Minister about the complete absence of a reply to the important point he raised a debate or two ago about the extension of the powers of the European Court of Justice into criminal law in this country.
The Minister is well known for his long winding-up speeches and we do not necessarily want a repeat performance tonight, but we want our questions answered. There is no point in Opposition Members asking the Government questions and holding the Executive to account if the Minister avoids giving us the answers. My hon. Friend is right to probe Ministers and to explain how cavalier the Government are when dealing with issues of vital national interest. He is right to challenge the Government to consider the long-term implications of some of the constitutional changes they want to make, reckless of the consequences.
We have had an excellent debate. It was started by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard), who spelled out our positive
Conservative agenda for Europe. On enlargement, we must welcome into the family of Europe those central and eastern nations who languished so long under communism and so underpin stability and prosperity in greater Europe. On the single market, we must complete the task of making a true barrier-free trading area in Europe as part of our wider global perspective. On reform of EU institutions, we must streamline them in preparation for enlargement in the name of efficiency and value for money--especially the common agricultural policy.
On flexible labour markets, we must take our message and our experience of policies that really create jobs to every corner of Europe. I have heard the Minister of State and the Foreign Secretary say a great deal about flexible labour markets over the past few days and weeks, but it is apparent that they simply do not understand what flexible labour markets are. They seek flexibility by imposing additional burdens on management and companies--that is not flexibility, but more red tape. Conservative Members have a vital duty to the nation and to the people of Europe who have languished too long under high unemployment to explain what real flexible labour markets are all about. We shall carry on doing that while we have breath in our bodies.
Our Europe is a wider Europe, not a deeper Europe. Our Europe is an outward-looking Europe, as was so brilliantly expressed by my hon. Friend the Member for Woodspring--I mention him again because he missed my earlier reference to him. Our Europe is not a fortress Europe. Our Europe is a flexible Europe, not a frozen Europe. We have a positive approach to Europe and my hon. Friend the Member for Wantage was right to make that point. We are positive about our membership, and we shall strive to make Europe work for Britain and all its people.
What a contrast that is to the new Labour Government, who are so starry-eyed and idealistic about Europe. We heard today, as we did throughout the Committee stage of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill, about Labour's new influence in Europe and how they are leading in Europe--all evidence to the contrary. New Labour is not leading in Europe, but losing in Europe; not making new friends, but making a hash of it. Let us look at the record of the past seven months--the seven long months since paradise was lost.
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