MPs and peers debate EU treaty

18th June 2008

Both MPs and peers have debated the EU in the wake of the Irish rejection of the Lisbon treaty.

MPs held a general debate on European affairs, an event scheduled before meetings of the EU Council.

Heads of state and government will meet for the two-day Council summit in Brussels on Thursday, where the future of the European Reform Treaty is likely to be high on the agenda.

Voters in the Irish Republic last week rejected the document, which must be ratified by all 27 EU member states.

Conservative MPs, who have led calls for a referendum on the treaty in the UK, are likely to call for the process of ratification in Parliament to be halted.

Foreign secretary David Miliband told MPs on Monday that ratification would go ahead, while prime minister Gordon Brown has said EU leaders must give Dublin "time to reflect" on its next steps.

That process of ratification has reached the House of Lords, where the European Union (Amendment) Bill has its third reading today.

Lord Howell of Guildford, the deputy leader of the Opposition and chief foreign affairs spokesman, has tabled an amendment aimed at stalling the legislation.

If successful, it would prevent the third and final reading until October at the earliest to allow Parliament to "consider the most appropriate response to the changed circumstances and uncertainties caused by the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in the Irish referendum".

Irish minister are considering whether they can re-run the referendum, but say they need time for a calm analysis of the 'no' vote.

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