Contributions
368 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillI am as anxious as anyone to get back to having those discussions, and once the confidence of the Unionist community has been restored—the Bill has the potential to help us to do…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillBeing named after another esteemed Member of this House is, I am sure, a fitting tribute, but thank you, Dame Eleanor, for the opportunity to say a few words in this debate.19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillRobinson is quite a popular name in the Democratic Unionist party. I am honoured to join my hon. Friend the Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson), who has that assignation. I…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillI understand the point that the hon. Gentleman makes, but negotiations have taken place and all these issues have been well aired with the European Union. When I met Maroš…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillMy right hon. Friend makes a valid point, but the matter goes further than that. It is not just that our Government cannot apply their own policies and economic and financial…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillAbsolutely. The customs checks I was referring to were in the context of proposals that the Government had introduced in the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill—and that they…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillMy right hon. Friend is right, of course. That goes to the heart of what Brexit is about. The mantra was “Taking back control.” That meant taking back control of our borders, our…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillWe are seeking to find a solution that works for everyone, and we are listening to what business is saying, just as the hon. Member for North Down and the SDLP are rightly doing.…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillNorthern Ireland does not operate in a vacuum. A business in my constituency is no different from a business in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency. If a business in his…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillI fear the shadow Secretary of State is approaching this on the premise that the dual regulatory system will be compulsory. As I understand the Government’s proposal, it is for…19 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillIt is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Sir Robert Neill). We have become good friends since both serving together on the UK delegation to the…13 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillI will come to the Good Friday agreement in my remarks, but I simply say to the hon. Member that there is a difference of view as to how we interpret what is required in terms of…13 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillI have great respect for the right hon. and learned Member, and I know of his affection for Northern Ireland. I think back to those very difficult and challenging days when this…13 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillI agree entirely with my hon. Friend, and that brings me to the heart of the issue for us—the threat to the Belfast agreement posed by the current situation.13 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillBrexit did not change the constitutional status of Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom. The protocol did that. The referendum on Brexit was a United Kingdom-wide…13 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillMy right hon. Friend makes a strong point. To be clear, the greater issue for us as Unionists is our place within the United Kingdom and our ability to trade freely within that…13 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillThe hon. Gentleman started out this journey as someone whose party advocated that the protocol should be rigorously implemented. Now he has shifted to saying that it should be…13 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillOf course that is a matter for the Government, but I am all in favour of proper scrutiny of this Bill. That is why we welcome the fact that the Committee stage will take place…13 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillThat brings me to my final point, which is on the democratic deficit.13 Jul 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland Protocol BillBut before addressing that I give way to the hon. Lady.13 Jul 2022