Contributions
281 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD UK’s Withdrawal from the EUGovernment and Parliament can at any time produce legislation to reform previous legislation because the circumstances have changed. The idea put forward by my right hon. Friend…14 Feb 2019HANSARD UK’s Withdrawal from the EUWe have moved to yet another of these almost weekly engagements, at which we are told that historic decisions are about to be taken, a meaningful vote is on the verge of emerging…14 Feb 2019HANSARDEU Trade Agreements: ReplicationMy right hon. Friend is right to stress that if we were to leave on 29 March with no deal, it would have a disastrous effect for many industries, because we would suddenly lose…13 Feb 2019HANSARDLeaving the EUMy right hon. Friend will recall that, when we served together in the Cabinet, the coalition Government were very enthusiastic about the prospect of negotiating EU trade deals…12 Feb 2019HANSARDEngagementsI listened very carefully to the quiet and earnest exchange between my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the right hon. Member for Islington South and…06 Feb 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018I will in a second. I wish to take up this question of the relationship between Parliament and the Government, because I took some encouragement from my right hon. Friend the…29 Jan 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018With the greatest respect to my right hon. Friend, I think that my approach throughout the last two years has demonstrated that I am prepared to be pragmatic in response to these…29 Jan 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018None of us taking part in this debate is in any doubt that we are actually discussing an almost unique political crisis—one of a kind that has not happened for very many years.…29 Jan 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018Let me just finish my point. I will give way in a minute. I heard all the stuff when the Clerks were invoked—the advice of the Clerks to the Government to resist this approach. Of…29 Jan 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018I apologise to the hon. Lady, but I must explain to her that I refer to her and her colleagues as Irish Members of Parliament in the same way that I would refer to myself as an…29 Jan 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018Absolutely. We will not debate the constitutional history, but people are trying to invoke the strictest interpretation of Standing Orders going back to attempts in the late 19th…29 Jan 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018Let me just deal with this question and then I will give way to the hon. Gentleman if his point is relevant. The question is, what is the role of this House vis-à-vis the…29 Jan 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018I do not wish to revoke article 50 for the same reasons as the hon. Gentleman, although I do share some of his views. If I was trying to exercise unfettered autocratic power in…29 Jan 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018Well, unless I take too long, I hope to touch on the arguments behind the right hon. Gentleman’s excellent amendment, because that is one of the things that we should do in one…29 Jan 2019HANSARD Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) BillI am very grateful to the right hon. Lady for giving way. I do not wish to launch any type of personal criticism of her, as she has actually been making an extremely coherent,…28 Jan 2019HANSARDVenezuelaI have been listening carefully to these exchanges because I visited Venezuela quite frequently until about 10 years ago. I remember it as a very attractive place with a rapidly…28 Jan 2019HANSARD Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) BillI agree entirely with my right hon. Friend when he says how valuable all the people who are already here under free movement are, because they all have to be self-sufficient when…28 Jan 2019HANSARD Leaving the European UnionAs a supporter of the withdrawal agreement last week, I welcome the Prime Minister’s acceptance of the need for change in the light of the result and her reassurance that she will…21 Jan 2019HANSARD No Confidence in Her Majesty’s GovernmentI have asked many people throughout this why they voted on one side or the other in the referendum, and I have got a very wide range of replies. I have to say, though, that no one…16 Jan 2019HANSARDEngagementsI sat through many hours on every day but one of the recent debate, listening carefully to the extraordinary range of views expressed throughout it by Members in all parts of the…16 Jan 2019