§ 5. Mr. John Leeasked the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to provide for the use of the referendum as part of British constitutional practice.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir.
§ Mr. LeeIs my right hon. Friend aware that in the happily very unlikely event of this country being in a position to enter the Common Market, no machinery exists to enable the British people to end what Hugh Gaitskell called a thousand years of British history?
§ The Prime MinisterThe tradition for a considerable part of that thousand years is that decisions of great moment of this kind have to be taken by the elected Government of the day, responsible to this House. The constitutional position is that whatever this House decides in such a matter, or any other matter, is the right decision.