MP James Wharton’s EU Referendum Bill passed its second reading on Friday without anyone voting against.

Never have I voted with greater enthusiasm or seen my party so united.

That doesn’t mean James’ measure will become law as Labour and Lib Dems, who chose to be in their constituencies on Friday, are likely to try to kick it into the long grass in the various parliamentary stages to come.

Since its been introduced as a private members bill, albeit with the enthusiastic support of David Cameron and the Conservatives, this is a very real risk.

However, my sense is that as we get closer to the General Election the opposition may fade away since the Bill is clearly in keeping with public opinion. Good riddance Abu Qatada. His native Jordan will now deal with him.

We’re left with making sure this farce never happens again.

Key is injecting some common sense into the Human Rights Act, a creation shaped to the demands of the European Court of Human Rights.

The trouble with this sort of travesty is that it drives a cleaver through the public’s confidence in the law.

It is, furthermore, unreasonably expensive.

To those that say so-called human rights are beyond price I’d say just remember crime victims who will not get redress because of the public money wasted on the likes of Qatada.

Well done Theresa May, who inherited the Qatada file and has – observing all the legal hurdles and despite the best efforts of an army of human rights lawyers – brought it to a satisfactory resolution after its seven years circus.

It was a very great pleasure to see Royal British Legion stan- dards from across Wiltshire on parade in glorious, blazing sunshine at the annual Fovant Badges Rem-embrance Service on Sunday.