Contributions
1,269 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopMy right hon. Friend is anything but boring. He might be persistent, but boring? No. I commend him for his work in looking at this particular aspect of international treaty law…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopMy hon. Friend has long been a keen student of these issues. He is absolutely right to warn us about the dangers of a no deal, which is why he, I and very many others have…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopI can assure my hon. Friend, who speaks with conviction and passion and serves his constituents admirably, that the Government will be taking a forensic approach. This is a…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopThe hon. Gentleman knows that I am here and always ready to talk, as are the Government, and the dialogue continues. The Leader of the Opposition has of course made an approach,…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopIndeed, the Government have been very clear that, when it comes to negotiations, one should not willingly and wantonly abandon the cards that they have in their hand. That is the…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopI remind the hon. Lady, for whom I have a high degree of respect, of section 13 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act, which gives this House the role of ratifying the withdrawal…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopMy hon. Friend will have heard the answer that I gave some moments ago. I simply say that the backstop is not intended to be a bridge to anywhere. It is to be used only in…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopI can agree with the hon. Lady to this extent: it is incumbent on politicians from all parts of the House, most importantly on those on the Opposition Front Bench, to work to…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopI am grateful to my hon. Friend. He knows that it would be invidious of me to provide that running commentary that I have been quite properly resisting. May I assure him that the…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopThe hon. Gentleman, with his deep knowledge of the border, speaks absolute truth when he talks about its complexity. May I assure him that this Government are dedicated to making…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopIndeed, the Government listened very carefully when the House passed the so-called Brady amendment and have pursued the strands of work that were encouraged by hon. Members. That…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopWithout going through the detail of the protocol, the hon. Gentleman knows that the particular construct of the protocol meant that, for certain items of trade, Northern Ireland…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopI am grateful to my hon. Friend; he is of course correct on all counts.19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopI note with care the hon. Gentleman’s position and I have observed what he is doing to represent his constituents. It would be somewhat pre-emptory for me to anticipate what might…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopI am very grateful to my hon. Friend for his remarks about the communities that both and I and my hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson) serve in the context…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopI have not been seeking to blame anybody. When it comes to constructive negotiations, I believe not in blame games, but in trying to find solutions. It is high time that the hon.…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopWell, well. My hon. Friend tempts me down an interesting path. He knows that of course the arbitration process is contained within the provisions of the agreement itself. I think…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopMy hon. Friend puts it in a very attractive way; I commend him for that. He, like me, is a realist, and he knows that he, representing his constituents as ably as he does, will…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopMy hon. Friend knows the Government’s position. The Prime Minister set out a number of ways in which there could be a revision to the withdrawal agreement. Those matters are being…19 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland BackstopI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. The Spelman-Dromey amendment actually committed us to a course of action whereby this House would not leave without a withdrawal agreement and…19 Feb 2019