Contributions
2,022 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD European CouncilMy hon. Friend is right. Obviously, it is a very tight timetable, but if we were able to have an agreement that commanded a majority across this House—obviously, we would have to…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilI thank my hon. Friend and thank the commuters from Chislehurst for the comments that have been brought into the House. That is absolutely right. I think that people recognise the…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilAs the right hon. Lady knows well, we work with the devolved Administrations across the United Kingdom in taking forward the issues of particular concern to various parts of the…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilWe do want to bring our divided country together. First of all, in order to do that, we need to have agreement across this House for a deal that can ensure that we can deliver…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilNo, it is not because I am concerned about what the result of such a vote would be; it is because I believe that, having given the decision to the British people on whether we…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilMy hon. Friend has made a very interesting and important suggestion, and I will certainly look very carefully at it. It is important that Members of this House have as much…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilMy hon. Friend makes an important point. Obviously the nature of our discussions with the Opposition and how they progress will determine the timetable, but I am very clear that…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilI thank the hon. Gentleman for the optimism that he has shown, and for his reference to the positive mood in the House. I hope that we will indeed be able to do as he suggests and…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilWhen people voted across the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, obviously individuals voted for different reasons, but I think underlying the vote was that desire to…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilGetting the terminability of the extension was very important for us. It means that it is in our hands; we can leave earlier, on a timescale that means we do not have to hold…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilAs I enunciated earlier, over not just the last few months but in advance of the withdrawal agreement being agreed in November 2018, we have been pressing the issue of the Irish…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilI can assure the hon. Lady that people have spoken to me, both positively and negatively, about the Turkish example in relation to a customs union. In practice, Turkey does not…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilThe hon. Lady needs to recall the statements that were clearly made by the European Union when Scottish independence was being considered in the referendum. The point is very…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilNo, it is not an impossibility. It is possible for the European Parliament to ratify in advance of the United Kingdom ratifying.11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilThe whole point of sitting down, negotiating and trying to come to an agreement is that both sides explore where that point of agreement may be. Those are the discussions that we…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilMy right hon. Friend is absolutely right on that last point. The question of the withdrawal agreement and the fact that it could not be reopened was reiterated again by the…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilIn relation to businesses, my hon. Friend is absolutely right: time is of the essence. It is important that we bring the uncertainty that businesses are facing to a conclusion.…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilBoth sides—both Government and Opposition—are approaching these talks with the aim of constructively looking to see whether we can find a way through this that will command a…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilThis is the first opportunity I have had to thank my right hon. Friend for all his work as a Minister over the years. We are working to see whether we can find a point of…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilI could give plenty of examples, but I will give the right hon. Gentleman just two. We resisted a Northern Ireland-only customs territory in the backstop and made sure it is a…11 Apr 2019