Contributions
1,614 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD COP30: Food System TransformationI will respond to some points, but I will take interventions if we have time. The position that the shadow Minister set out would lead not only to economic disaster but to a…14 Oct 2025HANSARDThe Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025I thank the shadow Minister for her comments, but I must start by completely rejecting her overall thesis on the Government’s migration policy. I would put it to the Committee…13 Oct 2025HANSARDThe Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025 (S.I., 2025, No. 902). It is a pleasure to…13 Oct 2025HANSARDArmenia and Azerbaijan: Upgrading of UK Bilateral Relationships and Lifting the UK Arms EmbargoThis statement supersedes the written ministerial statement of Wednesday 1 July 2025 on Armenia and Azerbaijan: Arms Embargo [HCWS760]. I wish to inform the House of the…13 Oct 2025HANSARDBritish Virgin Islands: GovernanceIn 2022, Sir Gary Hickinbottom’s commission of inquiry identified gross failures of governance in the British Virgin Islands, a British overseas territory. The inquiry found that,…13 Oct 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesThank you, Madam Deputy Speaker; I have taken a number of interventions, and I do want to make some progress. Hon. and right hon. Members have asked about the US-UK relationship.…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI will give way to the right hon. Gentleman in short order, but first I want to say something about our excellent diplomats and officials across the world. We have an excellent…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI was referring to whether this matter had been raised in the House by the Leader of the Opposition and others. The Prime Minister acted decisively in response to the new…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesOf course I have confidence in our national security vetting staff. They do incredibly important work keeping this country safe. I will not comment on individual cases—I have been…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesThe Prime Minister has been explicitly clear that the new information was not compatible with the duty that we owe to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s horrendous crimes against…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI am going to conclude, and I do want to get back to the fundamental question. The Prime Minister has made it clear that Lord Mandelson should not and would not have been…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI will not give way; the hon. Gentleman was not here for the debate and he has just popped up now to try to intervene. National security vetting is a long-standing formal process…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI will make a little more progress and then will happily give way. To return to the fundamental question that has been asked by many Members, as I said at the start, in the light…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesPerhaps the Leader of the Opposition was not in her seat at the start of the debate, because I made very clear our position on Epstein’s victims and our horror at the revelations,…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesWith respect, this is an emergency debate that was secured by the Opposition. I am in the Chamber setting out the case very clearly, and we have had a number of contributions from…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI am in the Chamber responding for the Government as the Minister for North America. The hon. Gentleman will understand that there are very important matters taking place today…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI have set out the process clearly, and I note that the Chair of the Select Committee has received that letter, which also sets it out clearly. She may have slightly missed the…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesOn Thursday, I came to this House to announce that the Prime Minister had asked the Foreign Secretary to withdraw Lord Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the United States. At…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI know the right hon. Gentleman makes that point with sincerity, but I will not comment on the national security vetting process. That would not be appropriate or in line with…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI will not give way at first. I need to respond to many of the points that have been made in the debate, after which I will happily take some interventions. The Prime Minister…16 Sept 2025