I am sorry not to have called the right hon. Gentleman ““right hon.””; I did not realise that former Foreign Office Ministers stood on their dignity as much as the current ones. Let me say to the right hon. Gentleman that the best time for a referendum is now, so...

I am sorry not to have called the right hon. Gentleman ““right hon.””; I did not realise that former Foreign Office Ministers stood on their dignity as much as the current ones. Let me say to the right hon. Gentleman that the best time for a referendum is now, so...

It means what it says. It means exactly what I said earlier. Let us remember that this Government promised a referendum; all political parties in this House promised a referendum before the ratification of the treaty. I shall give way for a helpful intervention from my right hon. and learned...

It means what it says. It means exactly what I said earlier. Let us remember that this Government promised a referendum; all political parties in this House promised a referendum before the ratification of the treaty. I shall give way for a helpful intervention from my right hon. and learned...

Yes, I am confident that processes are being taken forward with normal speed. If my right hon. Friend wants me to look at a particular case, I shall of course do so. I visited the visa centre last July and saw the work that is going on to deliver 200,000...

Yes, I am confident that processes are being taken forward with normal speed. If my right hon. Friend wants me to look at a particular case, I shall of course do so. I visited the visa centre last July and saw the work that is going on to deliver 200,000...

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that in this process concerning Iran it would be a good idea to open a dialogue with all sections—I stress ““all sections””—of Iranian society in order to build some degree of confidence and, we hope, peace in the future? Does he share my concern...

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that in this process concerning Iran it would be a good idea to open a dialogue with all sections—I stress ““all sections””—of Iranian society in order to build some degree of confidence and, we hope, peace in the future? Does he share my concern...

My hon. Friend is right to pay tribute to the forces involved, and again I do that on behalf of the Front-Bench team. He is right to say that there must be no complacency. He has made the point about the specific situation in Basra, and I make the same...

My hon. Friend is right to pay tribute to the forces involved, and again I do that on behalf of the Front-Bench team. He is right to say that there must be no complacency. He has made the point about the specific situation in Basra, and I make the same...

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that Iran has legitimate reasons for wanting nuclear weapons? That is the official position of the Conservative Muslim forum, headed by Lord Sheikh in the other place.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that Iran has legitimate reasons for wanting nuclear weapons? That is the official position of the Conservative Muslim forum, headed by Lord Sheikh in the other place.

Although we are no longer in the headlines because we have withdrawn back to the airport, does my right hon. Friend agree, first, that we should pay tribute to the 4th Battalion the Rifles, which is part of 1 Mechanised Brigade and which has returned to the airport, and also...

Although we are no longer in the headlines because we have withdrawn back to the airport, does my right hon. Friend agree, first, that we should pay tribute to the 4th Battalion the Rifles, which is part of 1 Mechanised Brigade and which has returned to the airport, and also...

Well, it might be another job for the Minister of State, but perhaps it should be someone who watches their words more carefully. The prime responsibility of whoever is appointed to do that job should be to lay before the summit the extent of the crimes of the Mugabe regime...

Well, it might be another job for the Minister of State, but perhaps it should be someone who watches their words more carefully. The prime responsibility of whoever is appointed to do that job should be to lay before the summit the extent of the crimes of the Mugabe regime...

I agree with my hon. Friend that there are people who should be added to the reserve list and banned from the EU. But what is the point of having a banned list of individuals from the Mugabe regime who are generally refused visas to travel to Europe when the...

I agree with my hon. Friend that there are people who should be added to the reserve list and banned from the EU. But what is the point of having a banned list of individuals from the Mugabe regime who are generally refused visas to travel to Europe when the...

Lord Malloch-Brown.

Lord Malloch-Brown.

We are certainly in favour of dialogue at all times, but the strong, peaceful action that I am advocating is essential in order to avoid military confrontations in the future. The way to avoid the future crisis is through strength now rather than weakness now—that is the choice now facing...

We are certainly in favour of dialogue at all times, but the strong, peaceful action that I am advocating is essential in order to avoid military confrontations in the future. The way to avoid the future crisis is through strength now rather than weakness now—that is the choice now facing...

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it was very disturbing to read about the last British Airways flight from Harare? It seems that the only people who could afford a plane ticket were those close to the regime who were coming here to do business or to see members...

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it was very disturbing to read about the last British Airways flight from Harare? It seems that the only people who could afford a plane ticket were those close to the regime who were coming here to do business or to see members...

Very funny.

Very funny.

I suggest that the hon. Gentleman waits a moment. There is something else that the right hon. Gentleman, who speaks for the Opposition, said. In a book that deserves wider sales entitled, ““Speaking with conviction””—not to be confused with another Conservative central office publication ““Dealing with convictions”” by Jonathan Aitken...

I suggest that the hon. Gentleman waits a moment. There is something else that the right hon. Gentleman, who speaks for the Opposition, said. In a book that deserves wider sales entitled, ““Speaking with conviction””—not to be confused with another Conservative central office publication ““Dealing with convictions”” by Jonathan Aitken...

I agree entirely with the Foreign Secretary's remarks about the referendum and strengthening Parliament, but will he explain why the previous Prime Minister, who I always thought had held those views, committed himself and his party to a referendum on this subject? Will the right hon. Gentleman say in terms...

I agree entirely with the Foreign Secretary's remarks about the referendum and strengthening Parliament, but will he explain why the previous Prime Minister, who I always thought had held those views, committed himself and his party to a referendum on this subject? Will the right hon. Gentleman say in terms...

I suggest that the hon. Gentleman contains his enthusiasm for a moment. On page 90, under the heading ““The relationship between government and the people””, the right hon. Gentleman said in 1998:"““Democratic accountability is under threat—paradoxically—from the Government's regular use of referendums””." That is the right hon. Gentleman saying that...

I suggest that the hon. Gentleman contains his enthusiasm for a moment. On page 90, under the heading ““The relationship between government and the people””, the right hon. Gentleman said in 1998:"““Democratic accountability is under threat—paradoxically—from the Government's regular use of referendums””." That is the right hon. Gentleman saying that...

Mr. Speaker, may I begin by echoing what the Foreign Secretary said about the dedication, often bravery, and sometimes loss of life of people working in government service? May I also give him firm support for what he has said about recent developments in Pakistan? It is right that the...

Mr. Speaker, may I begin by echoing what the Foreign Secretary said about the dedication, often bravery, and sometimes loss of life of people working in government service? May I also give him firm support for what he has said about recent developments in Pakistan? It is right that the...

The former Prime Minister, if I quote him correctly, said before the general election that the importance of the referendum on the treaty was not because of its constitutional status, but because he wanted to ““clear the air””. [Interruption.] Hon. Members can go back and look at the quotation from...

The former Prime Minister, if I quote him correctly, said before the general election that the importance of the referendum on the treaty was not because of its constitutional status, but because he wanted to ““clear the air””. [Interruption.] Hon. Members can go back and look at the quotation from...

Clearly the right hon. Gentleman has not read the report of the European Scrutiny Committee, which looked at the red lines in great detail. The Chairman of the Committee, who is here now, said that one of the red lines, that on justice and home affairs, will ““leak like a...

Clearly the right hon. Gentleman has not read the report of the European Scrutiny Committee, which looked at the red lines in great detail. The Chairman of the Committee, who is here now, said that one of the red lines, that on justice and home affairs, will ““leak like a...

I cannot resist giving way to the hon. Gentleman.

I cannot resist giving way to the hon. Gentleman.