Committee (1st Day)

Part of European Union Referendum Bill – in the House of Lords at 4:45 pm on 28 October 2015.

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Photo of Lord Stoddart of Swindon Lord Stoddart of Swindon Independent Labour 4:45, 28 October 2015

I think “enslaved” is perhaps going a little far but at the same time, of course, we have lost the ability to govern ourselves in many respects. The noble Lord is right that things change. I always remember the dictum of Harold Wilson:

“A week is a long time in politics”,

and a decade, of course, is an aeon.

I was about to say that I wish we would not call each other names. I respect those who think that Britain should be part of a large agglomerate but, on the other hand, many of us believe that this country has succeeded for 1,000 years by its self-government.