European Affairs — House of Commons, 2016-02-25
Topic: International Affairs
Bernard Christison Jenkin (Conservative, Centre-right): That is a whole new argument, which I accept, but I am not going there now The referendum represents not just a turning point in itself, but just one point on a trend that is increasingly paralysing our entire continent, the unity of which is being shattered by the very institution that was intended to unite it. Let us look at the eurozone and at the Schengen free travel area and the migration crisis. Whereas in 1975 my party, myself included, was enthusiastic for membership of the European Communities, today my party—and, I believe, my country—knows that the world is utterly different Today, the strongest arguments for remaining appear to be ones saying that we are determined not to participate in the three main purposes of the EU: we will not join the euro, we will not join the Schengen free travel area and we will not be in a political union. What is the point of our being in this arrangement when we are so opposed to its principal purposes I must say that we have heard a certain amount of this debate before, as the Minister for Europe will recognise. Much of it is familiar from the Maastricht debates 20 years ago. We were told that we had opt-outs, but the problem is that they do not always work. We were told that about the social chapter, but we were overruled by the European Court of Justice on the working time directive. We were told then, "Europe is changing", and, "It’s all going our way." I cannot believe I have heard it again, but the Foreign Secretary actually said today: "National where possible, Europe where necessary." John Major regarded that—subsidiarity—as his principal triumph, which was going to reverse the centralising tendencies of the European Court of Justice. We were told we would always be leading in Europe. Today, the Foreign Secretary said we would "fight" with "like-minded…states" and be "leading…in a reformed EU" We have heard all this before—these are the same deceits—to persuade people to support something that we do not really want. We were told that if we vetoed Maastricht, it would be a "leap in the dark". What did the Foreign Secretary say today? He said leaving would be a "leap in the dark". The giveaway this afternoon was when he said: "Of course there is more to do" You bet! If we stay in the European Union, there is going to be a lot more to do, because this agreement is of course so inconsequential, even if it were irreversible and legally binding What happens if we vote to remain? That is the question the Government need to answer. What will happen? Last time, we were told before the referendum that there would be "no loss of essential national sovereignty" The word "essential" was useful, because it denuded that phrase of its meaning. We have the same weasel words coming from the Law Officers today If the British people are deceived again and we vote to remain, we will have resolved nothing. We will be back in the Chamber in five or seven years’ time either to demand another referendum or deciding just to get out. That is the trend: we will be facing the same problems and we will be afflicted by the same conflicts with our European partners, although by then the problems will be worse. I believe that leaving the European Union is the safer choice. Our security depends on NATO and our alliances, our own people and our resources, and working with allies. The idea that we can work with allies only if we stay in the European Union is yet another deceit being visited on the British people.