Compliance with the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019
Debate between James Duddridge and Jonathan Edwards(5 years, 1 month ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
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James Duddridge
Without wanting to up the tone of a debate that has been quite consensual, the Act does surrender some of our negotiating power by matter of fact. It compels the Government to do something, reducing the leverage in negotiation. I am actually seeing that as being part of the negotiating. It is deeply unhelpful and it has surrendered some of our powers of negotiation, which makes it more likely that we will get no deal. It is unfortunate. I am trying not to up the tone in any way but just to speak factually about what is happening.
Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) (PC)
Am I right in understanding that the British Government have sought and obtained legal advice on how to avoid the provisions of the Benn Act?
James Duddridge
We do not discuss what legal advice has been taken; nor do we discuss the contents of that legal advice, as I have already said in the House.