Brexit: EU Citizenship

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Monday 11th December 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

I think the noble Lord will have to wait for the Home Office’s proposals on a new immigration system for an answer to that question.

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

As the Minister said that the noble Lord, Lord Pearson, made an important point, perhaps he could spell out what the important point was to him—because, as far as I am concerned, I missed it.

[Lord Callanan]

My Lords, all noble Members make important points in this House.

Brexit: Irish Border

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Tuesday 5th December 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Davies of Stamford]

My Lords—

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

My Lords, this really is not acceptable. It is the turn of the Cross Benches, then we will hear from the Labour Benches—but one Member of the Labour Benches.

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[Lord Davies of Stamford]

My Lords—

[Lord Tomlinson]

My Lords—

[Noble Lords]

Oh!

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[Lord Callanan]

Of course, the wording is very important, but I am very clear that alignment is not the same as having no diversity.

[Lord Tomlinson]

My Lords, does the Minister accept that nobody has asked him to give a “blow-by-blow account”, which is how he referred to the questions he had been asked? Noble Lords have asked him to give a straight explanation, first, of what went wrong and, secondly, of how the Government propose to rectify it.

European Union

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Monday 6th November 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

I agree totally with the noble Baroness. I am sure she is not asking me to comment on everything that the media and the press say—we would be here for a long time if we were to do that. Yes, I agree with the points she has made.

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

Will the Minister accept, as his predecessor accepted, that the normal standard in treaty negotiations is that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed? Will he confirm that today, and confirm that it is on the basis of everything being agreed that this House, like the rest of Parliament, will have a vote on what the future relationship should be?

[Lord Callanan]

Yes, I can confirm that to the noble Lord: nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. That is a standard principle of European negotiations I have taken part in, as many of us in this House have done. We are also committed to a meaningful vote at the conclusion of those negotiations.

Brexit: Supreme Court Appeal Cost

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Thursday 26th January 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

I hear what the noble Lord says, and I repeat: we wish to build a national consensus around our approach.

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Lord Pearson of Rannoch (UKIP)]

My Lords—

[Lord Tomlinson]

The Minister stated clearly that he has come to this House and answered a number of questions. I remind him of the question that he failed to answer. I asked on Tuesday of this week whether he would tell us exactly what the Conservative manifesto said about membership of the European single market. He prefaced his reply by saying, “Of course I will”—and proceeded to do everything but.

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

I am sorry, but I dispute that. I made very clear what the Conservative Party manifesto said and, given the result of the referendum, we are honouring our commitment, as set out in the manifesto, to respect the outcome.

The Process for Triggering Article 50

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Tuesday 24th January 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

My noble friend knows a lot about our nation’s history and he is absolutely right. As I said, we will furnish Parliament with the necessary information to do that. Surprisingly enough, I have the Conservative manifesto in my folder. On page 72 it says, very clearly:

“We will hold that in-out referendum before the end of 2017 and respect the outcome”.

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

As the Minister has the manifesto with him, can he quote to us what that same manifesto said about our commitment to the European single market?

A New Partnership with the EU

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Tuesday 17th January 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

The noble Lord makes a good point. My ministerial colleagues and I—and Ministers right across government—have been travelling to meet representatives of business throughout the United Kingdom. But if the noble Lord has a group of people he would like me to meet, my door is open.

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the usual methodology in treaty negotiations is that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed? Does that include the votes of the two Houses of Parliament?

Brexit: Single Market

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Wednesday 14th September 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Howell of Guildford (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Lord Davies of Stamford (Lab)]

My Lords—

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[Lord Bridges of Headley]

My noble friend makes an extremely good point about services and all these things. I confirm that we are looking at these issues through the prism of the United Kingdom economy as it currently is and the strengths I have already outlined.

[Lord Tomlinson]

My Lords, the noble Lord in his earlier reply said that the Government were busy analysing the advantages and disadvantages relating to the single market. Does he not think that a sensible way to deal with something quite so significant and important to the British economy is to analyse the problem first before coming to a conclusion?

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

My Lords, we are looking at the British economy, sector by sector, to see the impact that Brexit might have on it and taking a sounding of views right across the economy. That seems to me to be the perfectly logical way to approach this, acting purely in the national interest.

Council of the European Union: UK Presidency

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Tuesday 19th July 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

My noble friend makes a very good point. Obviously, there is a large reservoir of talent and expertise in the EU among British citizens who could play a considerable role and make a significant contribution in the months and years ahead. We are looking at that, but I cannot go any further at this precise moment.

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

I suggest to the noble Lord that, in the interests of consistency, which is always a good facet in government, he now goes to the Statement made after the last European Council meeting, repeated by the noble Baroness, Lady Stowell, in this House. I questioned her about that Statement and she insisted that the words in it meant exactly what they said—that we would play a full role, accepting all our obligations.