Brexit Negotiations

Angela Smith Excerpts

Thursday 3rd October 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

What the people of this country want is their democratic will respected and for us to get Brexit done, and that is what we are going to do.

[Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (LD)]

This morning’s negative response from both the business community in Northern Ireland and the majority of the political parties there indicates that the Prime Minister has a great deal of work to do if he is to gain the consent of the people of Northern Ireland for his proposals. Does he not recognise that, if he fails to gain the consent of the people of Northern Ireland, he runs a significant risk of visiting damage on the Good Friday agreement, in both letter and spirit?

[The Prime Minister]

I appreciate that point. The hon. Lady is absolutely right to emphasise the importance of getting consensus in Northern Ireland, but that is why we place so much emphasis in these proposals on consent, and that will be a key part of the discussions.