European Affairs

Part of Delegated Legislation – in the House of Commons at 2:37 pm on 6 December 2006.

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Photo of Graham Brady Graham Brady Shadow Minister (Europe) 2:37, 6 December 2006

The right hon. Gentleman is right that that is one problem that we face. However, the other is the danger that additional regulation will damage Britain's competitive position and stop our good performance. We must guard against that as well as trying to ensure that the Lisbon agenda is achieved throughout the rest of the EU. On that, as on so much, the United Kingdom could and should offer a lead to Europe, but does not.

While the British Government have wobbled and equivocated, other member states have been busy either ratifying the EU constitution, as Finland did yesterday, or pressing on with other ways of increasing the EU's powers. At a time of uncertainty and turmoil for the EU, the British Government have wasted an historic opportunity to lead the process of reform that is needed if the EU is to compete and prosper in future. The member states that are looking to Britain for leadership towards a more flexible, less regulated, more free-trading EU have seen instead a Government who are paralysed by their lack of vision and afraid to listen to the views of their own people.