Contributions
3,157 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUThat and many other matters are why we want to increase the pace of negotiations. We will soon be able to talk about some of the operational aspects in respect of how we see our…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUWe will not be barrelling off a cliff edge. One of the reasons why we want to conclude the negotiations is to give people time to prepare for the end of the year. The hon.…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUMy hon. Friend makes some very good points. Yes, absolutely: we are a sovereign equal and the EU must accept that. She is also right to point out that we are not starting from…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUMany of the issues, including the protocol, will ultimately rest with the people of Northern Ireland through their elected representatives. However, for the reasons that I have…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUThe judgment of that court clearly raises issues that are for the EU to consider, and not for me at the Dispatch Box. The key point that my hon. Friend outlines is that we are a…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUI refer my hon. Friend to the very good joint letter that was recently sent out by the Secretaries of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and for International Trade. In…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUThe political declaration is not a treaty and there will be differences on both sides as to its interpretation. The point we have emphasised in the past few days is that the EU…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUWe are very aware of the backdrop against which these negotiations are taking place. Hon. Members will not have long to wait before they learn more about border operations, but in…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUOur civil servants have been working on the personnel, training and recruitment aspects of this, and on the many other aspects that will need to be put in place. There are regular…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUMy hon. Friend is absolutely right; we have left the EU. At the end of this year, we will be a fully independent and sovereign nation. Our interests are best served by having that…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUThe hon. Lady was cutting out, but I think I have got the gist. We believe in free trade and do not want protectionist practices, not just because that is in our interests, but…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUMy hon. Friend makes some very good points. The key aspect of this is, as I have said, the timing. There is no point in our arriving at an agreement at the 11th hour: we have to…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUI thank my hon. Friend for that well-put point. The EU’s proposals would bind us into EU law and impose controls over our domestic legal regimes, which cannot be acceptable. It is…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUThe last round of negotiations touched on all the workstreams. There was in-depth discussion across all areas, and it was very constructive on both parts, but as I outlined in my…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUI thank my right hon. Friend for that important question. In addition to shortly being able to talk more about border operations and how we envisage things working in the future,…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUI thank the hon. Lady for her commitment to helping us deliver a good deal. The key aspect of why we cannot let these negotiations go on is that prolonged uncertainty. We believe…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUThe Government’s policy is that, over the medium to long term, our approach to Brexit will maximise the economic benefits to the United Kingdom. That needs to be our focus in not…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUNegotiators from the UK and the EU held full and constructive discussions last week via video conference led by David Frost, the UK’s chief negotiator. The talks covered trade in…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUOf course we are working towards a deal on those issues, and many others. On some issues we very much feel that our interests are better served by having separate agreements. The…09 Jun 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUMy right hon. Friend makes very good points. The EU needs to recognise that we are now a sovereign equal and negotiate with us on that basis. There are massive opportunities from…09 Jun 2020