Sir James Goldsmith (Hansard, 30 October 1996)

§ 7. Mr. Campbell-Savours
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates in the past 18 months Government Ministers met Sir James Goldsmith in their official capacity to discuss matters relating to a referendum. [689]

§ Mr. David Davis
None, Madam Speaker.

§ Mr. Campbell-Savours
This is intended to be a helpful question. Is there nothing that the Government can do to appease further Sir James Goldsmith's escalating demands? Is there not something more that they could concede?

§ Mr. Davis
I have a great fondness for the hon. Gentleman—he and I met frequently in the past at various human rights meetings—so I shall be more charitable than I might otherwise be. However, he has not yet listed any concessions that we have made.

§ Mr. Marlow
On the subject of referendums, am I right in believing that the general election result would not be sufficient for a Conservative Government to seek to enter a single currency in the next Parliament, whereas that is not the case for the Labour party? If the Labour party won the election—which God forbid—it might think that that would be sufficient and adequate instruction from the 641 British people to join a single currency. Is there not, therefore, a great deal of clear blue water between ourselves and the Labour party?

§ Mr. Davis
My hon. Friend is right, certainly in one respect. We are the real referendum party in the House. The muddle in the Labour party has been the most confusing thing that the British public have seen in the past couple of days.

§ Ms Quin
Can the Minister give us a little more information about the contact between the Foreign Office team and Sir James Goldsmith? I understand that the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the right hon. Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley), has been targeted by the Referendum party at the next election and that the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the hon. Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis), was reported to have been involved in discussions with Sir James, and we know that the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the hon. Member for Upminster (Sir N. Bonsor), was sharpening his Euro-sceptic credentials in the summer with his attack on the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Is not the Foreign Office team of Ministers a vivid microcosm of the huge split on Europe in the Tory party? How does the Foreign Secretary intend to hold his warring Ministers together?

§ Mr. Davis
I suppose that there could be a problem if a single fact that the hon. Lady has stated were true. I have had no contact with Sir James Goldsmith and I have no such intention now or in the future.