Contributions
331 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAI am not sure where my hon. Friend has been over the past couple of days, but this is my second response to an urgent question on this topic, and the Prime Minister made her own…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAThe House is certainly aware of my view that everybody should have been there in full support of Kim Darroch and should continue to extend that full support to him without any…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAPerhaps the only cheering moment in this unfortunate episode was when I learned that Nigel Farage had ruled himself out of becoming ambassador to Washington. Was the hon.…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAYes, I have confidence in the system; what has happened here is that somebody has abused it. The inquiry is under way, and I hope the House will understand that it is probably…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USATo a large extent, elsewhere it is business as usual. On a daily basis exactly that sort of process is happening: our ambassadors and consuls across the world will send in their…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAWe should stick together in defence of the standards that apply to us all. We should ensure that we all uphold those standards in everything we do, and try to keep our political…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAI see that he is trying to entice me to do so. I can but say that the appointment process will be of the sort that has taken place in the past.11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAI seem to recall that that was one of the kinder words that I used yesterday. [Laughter.] There is one thing that I have omitted to say today, which I hope I can say now in…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAWe have an enormous embassy in Washington. It is standard practice in the diplomatic world that when an ambassador is away or being replaced, a chargé takes over. We have a highly…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAI thank my hon. Friend for what he has said consistently over the past few days. I thank him for his response and his support, and for that of the Foreign Affairs Committee, which…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAI am grateful to my hon. Friend for his words. He points out what is evident to anybody who visited Washington when Sir Kim was ambassador. There was a very cheerful team and a…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAI do not, in any way, dismiss what the hon. Gentleman says. I take it at face value as a perfectly legitimate observation about where we face risk and about what might have…11 Jul 2019HANSARD GCHQ CentenaryAs always, my right hon. Friend absolutely nails it. He is absolutely right, and I agree with his judgment about the way in which GCHQ goes about its business. Perhaps most…11 Jul 2019HANSARD GCHQ CentenaryI am truly grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Alex Chalk) for securing this debate, and indeed for concluding it in such a unique historical way. He has the…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAI absolutely understand what the hon. Gentleman says about the stamp of authority that would be secured by doing this very speedily, but I reiterate that we want to make sure that…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAYes, I hope I am allowed back. Sir Kim was absolutely excellent. The other thing my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (David Morris) allows me to point out is…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAI absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. In my years as a Minister, I have always seen ambassadors serve the interests of their country and the Government they serve. I have seen…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAI suppose, strictly speaking, it was who it should not be rather than who it should be, but let us not dance on that pin. This is unprecedented, and it is absolutely right that it…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAWe do not at the moment have any evidence that this was a hack, so our focus is on finding someone within the system who has illicitly released these communications, which cover…11 Jul 2019HANSARD Resignation of UK Ambassador to USAThe hon. Gentleman is right to say that this is unprecedented. I do not think that this has ever happened before. As the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton South East said, a lot…11 Jul 2019