Opposition Day – in the House of Commons at 7:15 pm on 13 May 1999.
Mr.Deputy Speaker (Sir Alan Haselhurst):
Order. Perhaps the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) will wait for a moment before presenting his petition. Hon. Members who are not staying to hear it should please leave quickly and quietly. Thank you.
I wish to present a petition signed by my constituent Mr. Bernard Calvert of Linton road, Eastmoor, Wakefield. The petition contains only his signature, but he has expressed a desire for it to be formally presented to the House and I am happy to oblige.
The petition states that, as a citizen of the United Kingdom he has not been consulted in any referendum on our association with Europe since 1975 when a referendum was held to ascertain whether the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland would remain in the European Economic Community, which was known as the Common Market. He says that that has happened notwithstanding what he suggests is the progressive surrender of our national sovereignty since then.
The petition states:
Wherefore your Petitioner prays that your honourable House shall urge the Government to:
And your Petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray, for the continual well being of the House of Commons, the historical defender or our liberties.