Exiting the European Union and Global Trade

Debate between Barry Gardiner and Andrew Bridgen

Thursday 6th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Barry Gardiner]

We must all hope that we will ensure that we get a deal, and that it will absolutely provide us with friction-free access for our goods and services.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

We talk about whether no deal is better than a bad deal, and it is a card that we can play. I put it to the hon. Gentleman that not accepting that does not mean that we will get a good deal, but if we do not accept that no deal is an option, we are guaranteed not to get an exceptional deal. For example, if he was to go and buy a car and said, “I have to buy a car today”, or if he said, “I would like to buy a car, but I don’t have to buy it today”, which would he get a better deal for? And would he like to buy a car?

[Barry Gardiner]

The point I would make to the hon. Gentleman is that the triggering of article 50 was setting precisely the timeframe in which he was to buy the car. It said that within two years either we had to negotiate a deal, or we would be trading on World Trade Organisation terms. He makes my point precisely.