Summary

  • EU referendum campaigning latest

  1. Labour responsepublished at 22:17 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Shadow leader of the House of Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon argues the "reasons we should remain in the UK are so much deeper than one renegotiation deal with the EU". 

    Summing up for the Labour party she tells peers the EU is about "securing peace and prosperity".

    To Labour the EU is "about standards, protecting our environment, ensuring that customers aren't ripped off with dodgy goods, support and protection for workers across the EU and making sure one country is not pitted against the other in a race to the bottom". 

    The Labour peer adds she finds it a "bit rich" for the leave campaign to claim staying in the EU exposes the UK to the risk of Paris style attacks and "then accuse others of fear tactics".

    Shadow leader of the House of Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon
  2. BMW tells UK workers of EU 'benefit'published at 22:02 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    Rolls-Royce and Mini workers receive an email from German parent company BMW, highlighting what it sees are the potential risks of the UK leaving the EU.

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  3. Lib Dems 'fully united behind UK in Europe'published at 21:56 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Winding up the debate for the Liberal Democrats Baroness Ludford says her party remain "fully united behind our 70 year support of the UK in Europe".

    She calls remaining in Europe the "patriotic choice, playing to our strength and multiplying our ability to promote our interest". 

    Liberal Democrats Baroness Ludford
  4. Forsyth: Scotland will not leave the Union over EUpublished at 21:45 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Former Scottish secretary Lord Forsyth of Drumlean attacks the "utterly irresponsible" argument that "if we vote to leave the EU it will threaten the integrity of the Union [with Scotland]".

    "This is a ridiculous debate as there is no appetite for a second referendum in Scotland" he tells peers, as the Prime Minister has "stuffed Scotland's mouth with gold".

    "No scot in their right mind will vote for bankruptcy which is what independence will be." 

    Lord Forsyth also responds to Lord Kerr of Kinlochard's comments, mockingly congratulating Lord Kerr on remaining an "expert in presenting a disaster as a triumph" - a skill he says Lord Kerr built up as a diplomat.

    Lord Forsyth of Drumlean
  5. Lamont: UK should have a relationship on economics alonepublished at 21:32 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Former chancellor Lord Lamont of Lerwick tell peers "it has not been an easy decision" to join the leave campaign.

    But in the end he says he decided that the UK should have a relationship with the EU based on "economics and economics alone".

    The Conservative peer, who was chancellor between 1990 and 1993, says the key question is whether countries will still want to negotiate with the UK on trade. 

    He argues they will, and that will allow the UK to remain an economic power but without any of the baggage of the EU.

    Former chancellor Lord Lamont of Lerwick t
  6. What's on Today in Parliament?published at 21:24 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

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  7. Kerr: Thatcher would stay in EUpublished at 21:17 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Former British Representative to the European Union, and crossbench peer, Lord Kerr of Kinlochard says he believes Margaret Thatcher would want to remain in the European Union,  but would be "bustling over to Brussels to sort out the Schengen nonsense and do something about Syria".

    He tells peers that when he worked as a diplomat working in Europe for Mrs Thatcher she "wanted us to be in every room , playing a central part, at every table and banging every table".

    Directing his comments at those he calls Thatcher's "heir and disciples" on the bench in front of him he says Thatcher would not be "glorying in standing aside".

    Lord Kerr (standing) speaking to the 'heirs to thatcher' on the bench in front (l-r) Lord Forsyth, Lord Lamont and Lord LAwson
    Image caption,

    Lord Kerr (standing) speaking to the 'heirs to Thatcher' on the bench in front (l-r) Lord Forsyth, Lord Lamont and Lord LAwson

  8. 'If we look for allies we will find thempublished at 20:50 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Liberal Democrat peer Lord Oates says he "does not recognise the European Union that some noble lords describe where apparently we have no friends, win no votes and have no influence".

    "I thought it was Britain that led the way in creating the single market, securing the former members of the Eastern Bloc, opposing Putin, securing a united approach to Iran and pushing a free trade agenda" he says.

    He admits the EU needs reform but says "if we would for once drop the grumpy old man act and look for allies we will find them".

    Liberal Democrat peer Lord Oates
  9. Few voters want Welsh MPs numbers cut, BBC poll suggestspublished at 20:41 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    Commons chamber

    Only 18% of Welsh voters support the UK government's plan to reduce the number of Welsh MPs by more than a quarter, the BBC Wales St David's Day poll suggests.

    Some 52% of those polled believed the current number of MPs was "about right", with 28% backing increasing the number of Welsh MPs to more than 40.

    The number of Welsh MPs will fall from 40 to 29 at the next general election.

    It is part of a move to reduce the number of UK MPs from 650 to 600.

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  10. EU has 'no democratic answers'published at 20:38 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Labour peer Lord Howarth of Newport argues the UK has "never been at home in the political structures of the European Union" and still "does not fit in".

    If the other members of the EU "proceed towards increased union we will be marginalised, if they do not the EU will remain an economic disaster zone" he tells peers.

    The EU is also is "palpably failing to deal with challenge of the migration crisis" leading to "grievous human consequence and is setting alight to dangerous nationalism" Lord Howarth says.

    And the biggest problem with the EU, Lord Howarth says, is that is has "no democratic solutions" to the failures he highlights.

    "No one knows if we''ll be a little bit richer or a little bit poorer if we're in our out of the EU" he adds.

    Lord Howarth of Newport
  11. Cameron 'like a conjuror with no rabbit'published at 20:23 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    UKIP peer Lord Willoughby de Broke says that "after all the trouble, all the grim hours of all-night negotiations" that the Prime Minister went through during negotiations David Cameron returned with "not one power returned not one line in the treaty altered".

    Lord Willoughby de Broke argues that Mr Cameron is "like a conjurer who's gone to the party with his hat but forgotten the rabbit".

    "He hasn't even produced the most myxomatosed rabbit out of his hat" Lord Willoughby de Broke complains.

    "It's time to leave it is time to run our own country again" he concludes.

    Lord Willoughby de Broke
  12. Debate is not what the used to bepublished at 20:12 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Conservative peer the Earl of Caithness recounts that he was in the House of Lords during the 1975 debate around joining the European Economic Community - the precursor to the European Union. 

    Lord Caithness tells peers he was greatly "influenced by high quality of the debates then" but complains he has "not been influenced to the same extent" by today's debates. 

    Conservative peer the Earl of Caithness
  13. Andrew RT Davies insists aid cash would be available after EU exitpublished at 20:12 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies

    Wales would still get economic aid for its poorest areas even if Britain votes to leave the European Union, Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies has said.

    The EU is providing £1.8bn to Wales between 2014-2020 to help economic growth.

    Last week, David Cameron said he "can't be certain" the UK government would spend the same if we left the EU.

    But Mr Davies, who supports Brexit, said he could "guarantee" the money would still be available.

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  14. Foster defends Wilson over ethnics rowpublished at 20:11 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    Sammy Wilson

    The First Minster Arlene Foster has defended her DUP colleague, East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson, insisting he is not a racist.

    On Tuesday, BBC Spotlight broadcast a programme in which Mr Wilson appeared to agree with a member of the public to "get ethnics out"

    He later said the remarks had been taken out of context.

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  15. 'Euroscepticism is why I left the Conservatives'published at 19:37 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Liberal Democrat peer Lord Lee of Trafford tells peers the Conservative Party's "eurosceptic position" is why he left the party in 1997.

    Quoting from his resignation letter he says "it's not I who changed my belief and approach it is the Conservative Party that has changed".

    Lord Lee, who was Conservative MP from 1983 to 1992, says he is thankful the upcoming referendum will have a "much wider electoral base than the Conservative Party" as leaving the EU "would be taking the great out of Great Britain".

    Liberal Democrat peer Lord Lee of Trafford
  16. Stevens: Scare stories hide Government's failurepublished at 19:25 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    UKIP peer Lord Stevens of Ludgate argues that "the government's scare stories are an attempt to justify their failure to achieve real reform of the EU".

    He tells peers that similar stories were circulated in Norway around the time of their 1994 referendum to join the EU. Norway voted to remain outside the EU and today "is trading more than ever with EU countries and unemployment is much lower than most EU countries".

    "If leaving is going to be such an unmitigated disaster why did they run the risk the UK might vote to leave," he adds.

    "Leaving is the safe option."

    UKIP peer Lord Stevens of Ludgate
  17. 'The environment is not amenable to national borders'published at 19:05 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Former head of the Environment Agency, and Labour peer, Baroness Young of Old Scone argues that the EU is vital to "protect a healthy environment for people of the UK".

    She calls on peers to "stop trying to pursue isolationism dressed as sovereignty when the environment is not amenable to national borders or actions".

    It's time to "focus on the much more important task of increased security, improved environment and economic development through shared collaboration" she argues.

    Former head of the Environment Agency, and Labour peer, Baroness Young of Old Scone
  18. Rose clashes with MPs over EU figurespublished at 18:09 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    Lord Rose, the former Marks & Spencer boss who heads the pro-EU campaign group Britain Stronger In Europe, is accused of a "scandalous misuse of data" as he appears before MPs.

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  19. Lord Gilbert makes maiden speechpublished at 17:59 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum campaign

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Deputy Chairman of the Conservative party Lord Gilbert of Panteg makes his maiden speech, which is the name given to the first speech made by a member of the House of Lords.

    Maiden speeches are expected to be short and uncontroversial, and Lord Gilbert's fits the bill. Following his party's line, the Conservative peer praises the Prime Minister's renegotiated status for the UK and calls on peers to support the campaign to remain in the EU.

    Until a new Member has made their maiden speech they may not table oral questions or questions for short debate, but may table questions for written answer.

    Deputy Chairman of the Conservative party Lord Gilbert of Panteg
  20. Stirrup: Must defend Europe 'out of hard-nosed self-interest'published at 17:54 Greenwich Mean Time 2 March 2016

    EU referendum debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Former Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Stirrup tells peers the UK's national security "is inextricably linked to the security of the rest of the continent".

    The crossbench peer claims many in the out camp would be "happy to see the decline of Europe, if we can sit on the sidelines. But whether we like it or not we will remain on the pitch".

    The UK must "not just ask what Europe can do for us, but what we can do with Europe, out of sheer hard nosed self interest" Lord Stirrup adds, and calls on peers to vote to stay in EU.

    Former Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Stirrup