Northern Ireland Protocol: First Treasury Counsel Debate

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Northern Ireland Protocol: First Treasury Counsel

Bernard Jenkin Excerpts
Thursday 9th June 2022

(1 year, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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James Cleverly Portrait James Cleverly
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The Government are confident that our actions are lawful under international law, and in line with a long-standing convention we do not set out internal legal deliberations.

Bernard Jenkin Portrait Sir Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) (Con)
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I make it clear to my right hon. Friend that I voted for the withdrawal agreement and the protocol against my better judgment, and so it has proved. If the Government bring forward a Bill that does not hold out the serious prospect of the restoration of power sharing in Northern Ireland and the restoration of the Good Friday agreement, I will vote against it. Will he undertake to make sure that his right hon. and hon. Friends understand that those voting for such a Bill would be voting to wreck the Good Friday agreement?

James Cleverly Portrait James Cleverly
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My colleagues on the Treasury Bench will have heard the point that my hon. Friend made; obviously, the question is narrowly focused on legal advice. As I said, we are confident that our position is legal but we do not discuss the details of legal advice to Government.