Contributions
4,038 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUnited Kingdom’s Withdrawal from the European UnionThe right hon. Lady mentioned the ERG. If Her Majesty’s Government had followed the whims of the ERG we would be in a much better position today.29 Mar 2019HANSARD Business of the HouseI will not give way to everyone because there are only 22 and a half minutes to go, and the spokesman for the SNP, the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart),…27 Mar 2019HANSARD Business of the HouseMy hon. Friend makes a characteristically Wykehamist point: highly intelligent but fundamentally wrong. I must confess that I have sometimes thought my right hon. Friend the…27 Mar 2019HANSARD Business of the HouseNo. I am sorry to say that my right hon. Friend is wrong. There is a very strong history of Ministers proposing motions to aid the House, which was certainly done by Jack Straw…27 Mar 2019HANSARD Business of the HouseIn response to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), my right hon. Friend said that for the Government to ignore a motion of this House would be…27 Mar 2019HANSARD Business of the HouseI cannot entirely agree with the constitutional proposition that my right hon. Friend is advancing. He will recall that, in the Tudor House of Commons, it was Privy Counsellors…27 Mar 2019HANSARD Business of the HouseI oppose this motion because I think that it is constitutionally ill thought through. Our country does not have a codified constitution, but it works on conventions, and those…27 Mar 2019HANSARD Business of the HouseI agree that it is important to observe the conventions, because the conventions protect the interests of everybody. If the hon. Gentleman is calling for a Prorogation so we may…27 Mar 2019HANSARD Business of the HouseThe issue is that Opposition days have become much more precise and have used the Humble Address procedure to ensure they are taken notice of by using a correct constitutional…27 Mar 2019HANSARDEU Withdrawal Joint Committee: OversightRegrettably, I was explaining why I was delayed for a 2 o’clock appointment—so that I would have the pleasure of being in the Chamber to listen to this important urgent question.…20 Mar 2019HANSARDSpeaker’s StatementOn a point of order, Mr Speaker. First, may I say how delighted I am that you have decided to follow precedent, which is something I am greatly in favour of? Dare I say that there…18 Mar 2019HANSARD UK’s Withdrawal from the European UnionOn a point of order, Mr Speaker. I think it would be helpful to have some clarification, because “Erskine May” says that selection is made by the Chair “in such a way as to bring…14 Mar 2019HANSARDUK’s Withdrawal from the European UnionOn a point of order, Mr Speaker. I wonder whether you might be in a position to confirm that, as a matter of constitutional fact, a motion of this House, though important, cannot…13 Mar 2019HANSARDWithdrawal Agreement: Legal OpinionMy right hon. and learned Friend has pointed out that much of what is being said is political as well as legal. Will he therefore set out for the House what penalties might fall…12 Mar 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) ActI am very grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way on the point about our being stuck in the backstop. Further to my question earlier, I understand that the Attorney…12 Mar 2019HANSARD Business of the House (Today)I notice that this motion is debatable until any hour, subject to a business of the House motion at 7 o’clock. I can assure the House that it is not my intention to speak at that…12 Mar 2019HANSARDEU Withdrawal Agreement: Legal ChangesWith regard to the legal changes required to the withdrawal agreement, this House voted for the entire removal of the backstop. Does it not strike my hon. Friend as incongruous at…11 Mar 2019HANSARDUK’s Withdrawal from the EUIt is worse than that, because it would apply not only during the implementation period but during the whole period of the backstop, which is potentially unlimited. The European…27 Feb 2019HANSARD Leaving the EU: Economic Impact of Proposed DealAs the Treasury’s forecasts before the referendum were woefully inaccurate, and the Office for Budget Responsibility was set up specifically to stop politicised reports coming…20 Feb 2019HANSARDRetirement of the Clerk of the HouseI am one of Sir David’s greatest admirers, but the Leader of the House is beginning to say things that are moving in the other direction. Can we go back to his love of tradition?13 Feb 2019