Eleanor Laing calls for international observers to oversee Falklands referendum
Speaking during a debate on the Falkland Islands Government announcement that it will hold a referendum on the political status of the islands, Eleanor Laing highlights the importance of international observers so that there can be no argument over the result.
Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest) (Con): Ten years ago I had the honour of accompanying the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) as an observer of the referendum that took place in Gibraltar, which has been very important to its subsequent development. May I endorse the request made by my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry) that steps should be taken to ensure that observers are available from many countries of the world so that the result of the democratically organised referendum in the Falklands can be spread far and wide and no one can argue with its result?
Mr Lidington: My hon. Friend makes her point with great clarity. I support the thrust of what she says.
