Prime Minister's Update

Debate between Boris Johnson and Paula Sherriff

Wednesday 25th September 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I repeat that the experience of negotiating with our European friends and partners over the last few weeks has, I am afraid, confirmed me in my view that the surrender Act—[Interruption]—has made it more difficult for us to get a deal. That is the sad truth. What they hear is a Parliament that is not just determined to stop a no-deal Brexit. That is not its intention. Its intention is to stop any kind of deal at all. That is what it wants to do.

I can tell my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) that we will come out of the European Union on 31 October, and we will not be extending.

[Paula Sherriff (Dewsbury) (Lab)]

I genuinely do not seek to stifle robust debate, but this evening the Prime Minister has continually used pejorative language to describe an Act of Parliament that was passed by this House. I am sure you would agree, Mr Speaker, that we should not resort to the use of offensive, dangerous or inflammatory language about legislation that we do not like.

We stand here, Mr Speaker, under the shield of our departed friend. Many of us in this place are subject to death threats and abuse every single day. Let me tell the Prime Minister that they often quote his words—surrender Act, betrayal, traitor—and I, for one, am sick of it. We must moderate our language, and that has to come from the Prime Minister first, so I should be interested in hearing his opinion. He should be absolutely ashamed of himself. [Applause.]

[The Prime Minister]

I have to say that I have never heard such humbug in all my life. [Hon. Members: “Shame!”] The reality is that this is a Bill—[Interruption.] This is a Bill—[Interruption.]

US Immigration Policy

Debate between Boris Johnson and Paula Sherriff

Monday 30th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Boris Johnson]

That is entirely right. As things turned out, I was rather grateful for President Obama’s intervention. If I may say so to the House, I think we have got the balance just about right. It is very difficult, and we have had to be clear with our American friends and partners, but we have also had to secure important protections for duals and for UK citizens.

[Paula Sherriff (Dewsbury) (Lab)]

The Foreign Secretary referred earlier to matters of taste. Well, I personally find a man who refers to grabbing a woman by the pussy very distasteful. A tearful constituent called me yesterday to say that he was devastated by the Prime Minister’s failure to condemn the actions of President Trump. Does the Foreign Secretary agree?

[Boris Johnson]

The hon. Lady will know very well that the Prime Minister has herself said several times that such language is unacceptable.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Boris Johnson and Paula Sherriff

Tuesday 10th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Paula Sherriff (Dewsbury) (Lab)]

5. What recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on illegal settlements in the west bank.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Boris Johnson)]

I spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu—he is also the Israeli Foreign Minister—on 23 December and raised the subject of illegal settlements. I probably spoke for a large majority of Members when I said that I am a strong and passionate supporter of the state of Israel, but I also believe that the continued expansion of illegal settlements in the west bank is by no means conducive to peace.

[Paula Sherriff]

I thank the Secretary of State for his response. Will he further advise us on what assessment his Government have made of the Israeli Government’s intent to comply with UN Security Council resolution 2334 on illegal Israeli settlements?

[Boris Johnson]

That is clearly a matter for the Israeli Government, but I repeat our position that we believe—this is a long-standing view of the UK Government—that settlements in the west bank are illegal, and that the 20% expansion we have seen in those settlements since 2009 is a threat to the peace process. That was why we resolved as we did. Of course, there has been a certain amount of argument about that and a certain amount of push back from the Israeli Government, but the hon. Lady will find that there is a wide measure of international support for that view, which in no way diminishes this Government’s strong support for a Jewish homeland in Israel.