EU Withdrawal Agreement

Debate between Alec Shelbrooke and Steve Barclay

Tuesday 18th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) (Con)]

rose—

[Stephen Barclay]

I give way to my hon. Friend with pleasure.

[Alec Shelbrooke]

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way. Perhaps he can shed some light on the confusion that I feel following the right hon. Gentleman’s speech. He spoke of wanting a second referendum and a people’s vote, but he said that he did want no deal on it, and he did not want the deal on it. Can we have a referendum with just one question on it, which is to remain?

[Stephen Barclay]

My hon. Friend points to how one might achieve that unicorn, which is to end the uncertainty over the SNP’s position. Notwithstanding the fact that it is a waste of money to have multiple referendums—that waste of money is obviously acceptable whereas other ways of wasting of money are not—I simply draw the attention of the House to the fact that the best way to avoid incurring the cost of no deal is to back the Prime Minister’s deal.