Thomas McAvoy

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Parliamentary Update, 12 March 2008

There’s no doubt what the big issue of the last week in Westminster was – the Lisbon Treaty, better known as whether we should have a referendum on updated European rules and regulations.

The debate is fairly old now – opponents of the Treaty say it is actually a constitution and demand a referendum on this. Supporters point out that it is just a tidying up of current rules and that under previous, more significant Treaties there has been no referendum.

For my own part, I think that the government are right on this and that there is no need to have a referendum on what is, to my mind, a legal organising exercise. That’s why I was pleased MPs voted to support the Treaty.

I won’t take any lectures about being the type of person that wants to be part of a European super-state. In 1975, I actually voted against British membership of the then Common Market (now the European Union).

However if the vote was held today I wouldn’t vote against British membership. The EU has been a force for good on a number of issues and in future, as the world tackles problems such as climate change and global terrorism, unifying bodies such as the EU will be a major part of this.

The issue was interesting because it also gave the new Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg his first major problem. He told his MPs to abstain on whether there should be a referendum and this led to a big rebellion, with many of his senior spokesmen resigning. If they keep this up the Liberal Democrats might even start to look like a real political party!

The other issue of interest last week was Prime Minister’s Questions.  I think this was Gordon Brown’s best week and that his knowledge and policy awareness is really beginning to show through and help him get the best of these exchanges. I met the Prime Minister socially on Wednesday evening and it was a very interesting night; certainly well in contrast to the supposed dour image that Gordon Brown has.

I travelled back up to my constituency on Thursday for the Cambuslang East council by-election, which took place that day. I always enjoy getting on the campaign trail, especially meeting with and talking to local people. This election was no different and my congratulations go to the winning candidate, Richard Tullett.