Brexit: Triggering Article 50

Lord Taylor of Holbeach Excerpts

Wednesday 29th March 2017 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Ludford (LD)]

My Lords—

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach (Con)]

I am sorry, my Lords, but we do have a custom of going round the House, and it is the turn of the Liberal Democrats.

[Baroness Ludford]

My Lords, the Statement repeats the mantra that we are going to “take back control”, but the Brexit Secretary, Mr Davis, expects the Government to use this control to continue with a large volume of EU migration. The Statement admits that the consequence of breaking the manifesto pledge to stay in the single market will mean UK companies having to abide by rules over which we have no influence. If we lose the right to the single market, including free movement for British citizens, at the price of less control and a series of betrayals, how is that a gain?

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[Lord Davies of Stamford]

My Lords—

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

My Lords, I am sorry but I think we ought to hear from Plaid Cymru.

[Lord Wigley]

My Lords, does the noble Baroness understand that for some of us this is the blackest of black Wednesdays and that we will not rest until we have persuaded the people of these islands to reverse this retrograde step? Having said that, she mentioned—as the Prime Minister did—that the negotiations will be conducted on a UK basis but that they will listen to the devolved Administrations. Can she confirm in those circumstances that where discussions arise in relation to things such as the sheep meat regime and the beef regime so important to Welsh agriculture that the Welsh Agricultural Minister can be part of the UK team in the same way as he and she have been in the past—on behalf of the UK but speaking as Welsh Ministers?

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[Lord Maclennan of Rogart (LD)]

My Lords—

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Lib Dems.

[Lord Maclennan of Rogart]

The European Union has brought an unprecedented 71 years of peace to western Europe. Have the Government given any thought to this historical reality?

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[Baroness Wheatcroft (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

I apologise to the noble Lord but it is in fact the turn of the Conservative Benches so I think we will hear from my noble friend Lady Wheatcroft.

[Baroness Wheatcroft]

My Lords, the Prime Minister has made much of her intention to agree trade agreements around the world. Will my noble friend assure the House that Parliament will be able to scrutinise these deals before they are signed? After all, a bad deal may be worse than no deal.

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[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

We did say that we would try to do this in order. It is the Lib Dems’ turn, and then perhaps we will hear from the Cross Benches.

[Lord Campbell of Pittenweem]

My Lords, it is axiomatic that Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union will weaken it. Is it not all the more curious, therefore, for the Prime Minister to be extolling the virtues of European values at the same time as undermining the very institution that embodies them?