text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Treaty of Lisbon - No referendum to be held
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  <p>The purpose of the <b>European Union (Amendment) Bill</b>[1] is to incorporate the <i>Treaty of Lisbon</i>[2][3] into United Kingdom law by inserting it into the list of treaties[4] covered by the <b>European Communities Act 1972</b>, which is the foundation stone of membership of the EU.</p>
  
  <p>The majority of MPs voted against[5] making it necessary to hold a referendum[6] before the <i>Treaty of Lisbon</i> could be inserted into this list of EU treaties in force.</p>
  
  <p>Owing to a 3-line whipped abstention by their leader, all Liberal Democrat MPs who voted in this division were considered to have disobeyed their orders, and those who were front bench spokesmen had to resign from their positions.[7]</p>
  
  <ul>
  
  <li>[1] <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmbills/048/08048.1-4.html">European Union (Amendment) Bill</a>, full text.</li>
  
  <li>[2] <a href="http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1188497043757">Lisbon EU treaty</a>, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.</li>
  
  <li>[3] <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon">Treaty of Lisbon</a>, Wikipedia.</li>
  
  <li>[4] <a href="http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegType=All+Legislation&Year=1972&number=68&searchEnacted=0&extentMatchOnly=0&confersPower=0&blanketAmendment=0&sortAlpha=0&TYPE=QS&PageNumber=1&NavFrom=0&parentActiveTextDocId=1374459&ActiveTextDocId=1374463&filesize=21632">European Communities Act 1972, Section 1(2)</a>, Consolidated version, List of Treaties that have been incorporated.</li>
  
  <li>[5] <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7277644.stm">MPs consider fallout from EU vote</a>, BBC News, 5 March 2008</li>
  
  <li>[6] <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2008-03-05a.1751.6">Rederendum Amendments</a>, House of Commons, 5 March 2008.  The full details of the proposed referendum question, procedures and legal framework starts with "Clause 1".  This would have been discussed and inserted into the Bill had a majority of MPs voted in favour of having one.</li>
  
  <li>[7] <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7279805.stm">Senior Lib Dems quit over EU vote</a>, BBC News, 5 March 2008.</li>
  
  </ul>
  
  
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  