Early Parliamentary General Election (No. 2)

Debate between Brendan O'Hara and John Bercow

Monday 9th September 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that.

[Brendan O'Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Could you advise me how I register my anger and deep frustration at the outrageous and profoundly undemocratic suspension of this Parliament this evening? With barely seven weeks before the UK is due to leave the European Union, my constituents are deeply worried, understandably so, that, as the right hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Amber Rudd) said at the weekend, this Government have no interest in securing a deal and are hellbent on pursuing a catastrophic policy of no deal. Along with every other part of Scotland, my constituency voted overwhelmingly to remain. We are facing profound and devastating effects on our tourism, farming and fishing industries, and surely the least that my constituents could expect is that their view Member of Parliament is able to represent them in this Chamber at this most critical moment.

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman began his attempted point of order by inquiring how he could register his anger, and he has of course now done so. It is on the record and it will be reproduced in the Official Report. Something tells me that his observations in the Official Report will shortly be winging their way towards the local media in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Brendan O'Hara and John Bercow

Thursday 23rd May 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The multi-talented character of the Sheerman family is, frankly, not a surprise to the House.

[Brendan O’Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)]

The chief executive of the Edinburgh fringe has expressed serious concern about the cost and complexity of artists coming to Edinburgh, and fears they will go elsewhere. Does the Minister really believe that losing access to Creative Europe funding, ending freedom of movement and pulling up the drawbridge will culturally enrich the people of these islands?

Petitions

Debate between Brendan O'Hara and John Bercow

Thursday 29th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Brendan O’Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)]

It borders on unbelievable that Inveraray, a town with a booming tourist industry, a town with three good-sized hotels, a town boasting numerous cafes, bars and restaurants, and various high-quality clothing outlets, a town that has an estate and a hugely popular castle, could be left without a single bank. Yet that is exactly what the Royal Bank of Scotland plans to do, without any prior consultation with the people of Inveraray.

This is the thanks the people of Inveraray get for, along with taxpayers across the United Kingdom, bailing out the Royal Bank to the tune of almost £50 billion. Just before Christmas, I launched a petition in the town opposing the branch closure, and I am delighted that that petition, which I present to the House today, has gathered hundreds of signatures.

[Mr Speaker]

It has indeed, and that is in itself a highly impressive feat, but I am sure that the hon. Gentleman, in presenting his petition, will not accidentally elide into the delivery of a speech, which is not apposite on these occasions.

[Brendan O’Hara]

Moving on swiftly, Mr Speaker.

The petition states:

The Petition of residents of Argyll & Bute,

Declares that the proposed closure of the Inveraray branch of the publicly-owned Royal Bank of Scotland will have a detrimental effect on local community and the local economy.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges Her Majesty’s Treasury, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Royal Bank of Scotland to take into account the concerns of petitioners and take whatever steps they can to halt the planned closure of this branch.

And the petitioners remain, etc.

[P002130]

European Union (Withdrawal) Bill

Debate between Brendan O'Hara and John Bercow

2nd reading: House of Commons
Monday 11th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Brendan O'Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I hope it is genuinely a point of order, rather than one of frustration from the hon. Gentleman.

[Brendan O'Hara]

I merely ask for guidance on the relevance of the hon. Gentleman’s speech on greenbelt and the Scottish Government to the topic of debate.

[Mr Speaker]

If the speech had been disorderly, I would have ruled as such, but it wasn’t, so I didn’t.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Brendan O'Hara and John Bercow

Thursday 29th June 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I leave others to judge whether the question was altogether apposite. I judged it orderly, but one thing is for sure: it was certainly creative.

[Brendan O’Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)]

In Scotland, as the Minister knows, we have a strong, innovative and vibrant creative sector, which is worth £4 billion to our economy and which employs 75,000 people, many of whom are EU nationals. With Brexit looming, what assurances can the Minister give the industry in Scotland, and indeed across the United Kingdom, that this country will still be able to attract and keep the creative talent that is so vital for the industry to work, perform and exhibit in this country free from unnecessary barriers?