The EU answers Chris Heaton-Harris' dead parrot question

We wondered if it was the best parliamentary question ever.  Chris Heaton-Harris played Monty Python and asked: "Would the Commission agree with noted British philosophers, Messrs Palin and Cleese, that [the treaty] has passed on! This treaty is no more! It has ceased to be!"

He has received this dull-as-dishwater reply:

"The Lisbon Treaty was signed by the Heads of State or Government of the 27 Member States of the European Union on 13 December 2007. Under international law, therefore, it exists and, indeed, each signatory State, by virtue of having signed it, is bound to make every effort to ensure that it is ratified. Ratification does not affect the treaty’s existence as such but does affect its entry into force. It was agreed at the European Council of 19-20 June 2008 that the repercussions of the Irish “No” would be discussed at the European Summit of 15 October 2008."

In case you missed it, Chris recently wrote a guide to the EU budget.  It's one of the best pieces we have ever had the fortune to host.  Read it here.