Brexit: European Commission Discussions

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara Excerpts

Monday 9th July 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

Of course, I am delighted to be here with your Lordships instead of in Room 10, but the noble Lord obviously forgot that we had a referendum on the subject and the people have voted to leave.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab)]

My Lords, will the Minister confirm that what he actually meant in his first response is that the Chequers agreement commits the Government, of which he remains a part—we are very glad to see that—to a soft Brexit? We now know that a soft Brexit involves a common EU-UK rulebook. His former Secretary of State and Minister of State have resigned, the former saying that this approach makes any reclamation of sovereignty purely superficial. He has a point. Can the Minister say why he does not agree with his former boss?

[Lord Callanan]

The former Secretary of State can speak for himself, but I am focused on helping to deliver the Brexit that the country voted for: one that leaves the single market, one that leaves the customs union, one that leaves the common agricultural policy and common fisheries policy and one that brings back control to this Parliament and this country.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Callanan]

The difference is that we are allowed to set our own tariff schedules under the facilitated customs arrangement.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara]

Perhaps the Minister would like to rephrase his original answer to me, given the news that the Foreign Secretary has just resigned.

[Lord Callanan]

I am obviously sorry to hear that the Foreign Secretary has resigned, if what the noble Lord says is correct. He has been a towering figure in government. What I said earlier still remains the Government’s policy.