Debates between Yvette Cooper and Vicky Ford during the 2017-2019 Parliament

Wed 13th Dec 2017
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill
Commons Chamber

Committee: 7th sitting: House of Commons

European Union (Withdrawal) Bill

Debate between Yvette Cooper and Vicky Ford
Vicky Ford Portrait Vicky Ford
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I thank the Minister. I am going to take a moment to reflect.

Yvette Cooper Portrait Yvette Cooper
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This has been a thoughtful debate that has shown the strength of this House, but the thoughtfulness and strength of this House are exactly why the House needs to have a meaningful statutory vote on the withdrawal agreement before the extremely extensive powers in clause 9 are used. The Minister had an hour on his feet; we have had six hours of debate today and many months of debate beforehand, and he still has not come up with a manuscript amendment to clarify what he will do, nor have we had a commitment yet from the Government that the vote will in fact be a statutory one. The only reason that the Minister could give as to why there should not be a statutory vote on the withdrawal agreement was the timing, and yet there are so many examples of when this Parliament has used expedited procedures to get a statute in place just as fast as any resolution.