Maurice Hayes (Independent)

I, too, welcome Mr. McCartin to the House. It was a pleasure to hear his inspiring contribution. The quality of representation we have in Europe encourages me greatly. Furthermore, I was hugely impressed by his enthusiasm and passion for Europe given that it is so many years since he was first elected.

It is not so much the mastery of the nuts and bolts of Europe that I want to talk about – I have no doubt that Mr. McCartin has done the post-doctoral course on that – but the appreciation of the historic entity that is Europe and its moral and rational basis. It is now unthinkable that Germany and France would engage in a war such as those that resulted in the death of millions in the last century. It is now unthinkable that the countries of eastern Europe would engage with the countries in western Europe other than in dialogue. One hopes this spirit and philosophy can be extended to the Balkans and further afield.

I share Mr. McCartin's suspicion of the nation state, which has been an agency for great evil in the world over 150 years. As economic entities are getting bigger there is a necessity for political entities to get smaller. I support Mr. McCartin's view on subsidiarity. I believe subsidiarity means devolution not to national capitals but beyond those into the regions.