Contributions
638 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionI will answer very simply. In 2014, there was a consensus between both Governments, all political parties and civic Scotland. Those are not the circumstances today.23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionTo pick up on the hon. Gentleman’s first point, the reason I say that I have answered the question so many times before is that hon. Members are asking the same question time and…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionI have answered the second part of the hon. Lady’s question a number of times already. In answer to the first part of her question, about the various policies she outlined, that…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionWe want to work with the Scottish Government to show the people of Scotland the benefits of being part of the Union and to show that we can work together on delivering on growth…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionYes. I made those points in my opening remarks and I totally agree with the hon. Gentleman.23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionAs I have said in my answers, the route to a referendum is when there is consensus between Governments, across political parties and across civic Scotland, as there was in 2014.…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionAs I have said on many occasions, the United Kingdom Government believe that Scotland, in the United Kingdom, brings many benefits and that we, as a United Kingdom, are stronger…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionAs I have said on many occasions, there is not any clear evidence that a majority of Scots are voting for the SNP—quite the contrary. Less than a third of Scots are voting for the…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionI will give the same answer that I have always given, which is that we believe a referendum is not the priority for the people of Scotland. We believe Scotland is stronger in the…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionOkay, so we have resorted to quoting Monty Python, which does not surprise me. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier.23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionYes. Having been a businessman before I came into this place, I agree with my right hon. Friend. It is unattractive to investors when there is uncertainty and a cloud hanging over…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionThe claim of right? We had a Union of the Crowns in 1603 and a Union of the Parliaments in 1707, but they were all a terribly long time ago. We firmly believe that we have a…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionAs I keep pointing out to SNP Members, less than a third of Scots voted for the SNP at the ballot box.23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionOn the basis that none of the apocalypse happened and that in 2014 the Scottish National party was asking the people of Scotland to vote to leave the European Union, then yes,…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionThe Scotland Office has done no private polling. The polling that I referred to is the public opinion polling that we can all read.23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionAs I have said, less than a third of Scots want another independence referendum. Less than a third of the Scottish electorate voted for the Scottish National party. We just do not…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionAs I have pointed out, it is not the case that a majority of the Scottish electorate have voted for independence-supporting parties.23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionI do stand up for democracy. As I have said, in the Holyrood elections last year less than one third of Scots voted for the Scottish National party, and current polling shows that…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionNo, I will not write to the First Minister of Wales. I will leave that to the Secretary of State of Wales or anyone else who feels that it is in their remit. I say to the right…23 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Referendum Legislation: Supreme Court DecisionMy hon. Friend makes a salient point, and he is absolutely right. The Scottish people want good public services delivered to them by a Scottish Government focused on the things…23 Nov 2022