Debates between Lord Goldsmith and Lord Judge during the 2017-2019 Parliament

Mon 23rd Apr 2018
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill
Lords Chamber

Report: 2nd sitting (Hansard): House of Lords

European Union (Withdrawal) Bill

Debate between Lord Goldsmith and Lord Judge
Lord Goldsmith Portrait Lord Goldsmith
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It is always good to have a second argument when you are in front of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Judge.

Lord Judge Portrait Lord Judge
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Perhaps, then, we had better find out what “the sovereignty of Parliament” means.

Lord Goldsmith Portrait Lord Goldsmith
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I come back to the central point I want to make. The Government made it clear and promised that rights would remain the same on exit day, but they could then be subject to change through the processes agreed and determined by this Parliament. Of all EU laws, the charter alone is being excluded. That drives one to question why that should be. Is it an ideological reason? Is it not wanting to see something that has “EU” attached to it? Or is it—which will be even more sinister and would worry me enormously—that there is an unhappiness and suspicion about fundamental rights? If there is any element at all that what lies behind this is a suspicion about fundamental rights and a suspicion that people should not be able to exercise those rights, that would be deeply unsatisfactory and a very good reason for not accepting the Government’s exclusion of this.