European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

Jacob Rees-Mogg Excerpts

Tuesday 29th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I say to all Members of this House that I have already been very generous in taking interventions. I am sure that many Members wish to contribute to the debate, so I will make progress.

[Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg (North East Somerset) (Con)]

rose—

[The Prime Minister]

As I have referenced my hon. Friend in my speech, I will give way to him.

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend and thank her for her very clear assurances that the withdrawal agreement text will be reopened and that she will consider what has been called the Malthouse compromise. May I ask for one more promise, namely that any further detailed agreement will come back and will not be deemed to have been ratified by the amendment tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Altrincham and Sale West (Sir Graham Brady)?

[The Prime Minister]

I give my hon. Friend that assurance: it has to and will come back to this House. Legally speaking, ratification of the agreement can take place only in the act of passing the WAB—the withdrawal agreement Bill. That will be the ratification moment for any arrangements.

--- Later in debate ---

[Jeremy Corbyn]

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman does know parliamentary procedure. Point of order, Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg.

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. This is a genuine point of order. I wonder whether you could guide the House on how Members refuse interventions, because I think the reason there is so much noise is that it is not clear whether the right hon. Gentleman has heard the request for an intervention or not. Your guidance would be extraordinarily helpful.

[Mr Speaker]

I am very grateful to the hon. Gentleman. If I understand his point of order correctly, the answer to it is that the customary method of acknowledging the intention of another Member to intervene, and perhaps the acceptance of that intervention, is a gesticulation with the hand, at which, among other things, the hon. Gentleman excels. [Interruption.] No, no, I think the hon. Member for St Albans (Mrs Main) is a bit confused; it is not about the fact that someone seeking to intervene gesticulates, but the fact that the Member on his or her feet signals acceptance. That has not happened and therefore the Leader of the Opposition has the Floor. The position is extraordinarily straightforward.