NOTES FOR DRAFT SPEECH FOR WINDING-UP FOREIGN AFFAIRS
DEBATE,
HOUSE OF LORDS, 29 FEBRUARY
My Lords, in winding-up I intend to pick up a number
of the points raised during the debate. First however
I want to spend a few minutes discussing the European
Community.
British Membership of the Community is at once
central to the Government's economic policy, and to our
foreign policy. That is why the "relaunch" of the
European Community is a major British national
interest. A confident, healthy Community would
complement the economic progress we are making at home.
Despite the dwindling band of strident voices to the
contrary the British people want to be in the
Community. They want us to make a success of
membership. That was clear from the last election.
I consider that the Stuttgart Declaration of June
1983 was a breakthrough. After years of drift, the
Community at last embarked on a process of fundamental
reform. Yet at Athens, in December, they ducked the
crucial decisions. Nothing has been lost except time
and on this occasion, for a change, time is on the side
of those seeking reform, not those defending the status
quo. Why? Because the Community is running out of
money. Either it takes some hard decisions for its
1