Welsh Affairs

Debate between Christina Rees and Jonathan Edwards

Monday 19th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Christina Rees]

The Labour party advocates a customs union.

[Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) (PC)]

Will the hon. Lady give way on that point, because this is a very interesting debate?

[Christina Rees]

I am being very kind today.

[Jonathan Edwards]

The hon. Lady is being very kind. As I understand it, the Labour party’s policy is that it supports being in a customs union, not the customs union. She will know that as a member of the customs union we benefit from trade deals with over 60 countries across the world, accounting for £150 billion-worth of trade at UK level—there are no figures for Wales, of course. If we are in a customs union, we will lose those trade deals. Surely, it would be far better for the Welsh economy if we stayed in the customs union, rather than trying to create some kind of a customs union, which is more or less a trumped up trade deal?

[Christina Rees]

Technically, when we leave, we leave the customs union, so we advocate a customs union and a very close relationship to the single market.

[Jonathan Edwards]

Will the hon. Lady give way again?

[Christina Rees]

No.

[Jonathan Edwards]

But that’s just spin, isn’t it?

[Christina Rees]

No, it’s not.

There are, at present, no signs that the Tory Government understand this agenda, let alone how to respond to it. As I have said, serious matters confront us and the clock is ticking.