Perhaps most important to his credentials for the presidency was his promotion to the post of first deputy prime minister in charge of national projects.
They claim the younger Mr Lee's rapid ascent through the ranks of the army to become a brigadier-general by the age of 32 rested purely on merit, as did his promotion to the post of deputy prime minister after only six years in politics.
During the debate, Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski who is chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Promotion of First Past the Post, said that the referendum was a waste of time.