text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Lisbon Treaty - Increase of powers of European Parliament
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The majority Aye voters successfully carried the motion[1] that clause 4 of the [http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-08/europeanunionamendment.html European Union (Amendment) Bill] should remain in the Bill.
  
  This was a particularly important clause as it allowed the increased powers of the European Parliament under the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_lisbon Treaty of Lisbon] by referencing the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliamentary_Elections_Act_2002 European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002] which required that:
  
  :'No treaty which provides for any increase in the powers of the European Parliament is to be ratified by the United Kingdom unless it has been approved by an Act of Parliament.'
  
  The No voters by and large conceded this point but argued that the Government had not spelled out what increased powers the European Parliament would get under the Lisbon Treaty and that there was no chance to debate them because of "the way in which the Government have rigged the debate on the treaty, time and again."[2]
  
  However, Jim Murphy MP argued that:[3]
  
  :'These reforms are supported by political parties across the EU. They are supported by the Governments and the main Opposition parties in all 27 countries of the EU. It would be a shame if, in the UK alone, one major political party opposed these extensions as they are now proposed as a consequence of the Lisbon treaty.'
  
  The European Union (Amendment) Bill implements the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon Lisbon Treaty] into UK law. The main aims of the Lisbon Treaty were to[4]:
  
  * Streamline EU institutions
  * Establish a permanent President of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Council European Council] (as of 16 March 2010 held by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Van_Rompuy Herman Van Rompuy])
  * Establish the post of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Representative_of_the_Union_for_Foreign_Affairs_and_Security_Policy High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy] (as of 16 March 2010 held by Catherine Ashton)
  * Give new powers to the EU over justice and home affairs
  * Remove the national veto in some areas such as energy security and emergency aid 
  
  ----
  
  * [1] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2008-03-03c.1554.1 Motion on Clause 4]
  * [2] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2008-03-03c.1556.3 Mark Francois MP], House of Commons, 3 March 2008
  * [3] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2008-03-03c.1555.1 Jim Murphy MP], House of Commons, 3 March 2008
  * [4] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6901353.stm BBC News Q&A: The Lisbon Treaty], 5 February 2010
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  