European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill

Debate between Jeremy Corbyn and Bob Seely

2nd reading: House of Commons & Programme motion: House of Commons
Tuesday 22nd October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Bob Seely (Isle of Wight) (Con)]

Does the right hon. Gentleman understand that the reason so many Opposition and Government Members want to get the Bill through is that we want to avoid no deal? The best way of doing that is to support this deal, so why will he not support it?

[Jeremy Corbyn]

I do not know what has happened to the hon. Gentleman’s maths, but so far three Members have intervened who have expressed disagreement with the Bill and want to get a better deal to get a customs union, which is hardly the position he adopts, so he should be careful of assuming that all my colleagues over here, who are desperate to represent hard-up communities that have been so disgracefully treated by this Government, are suddenly jumping on board with him. I have news for him: they are not.

It is plain and simple: this Bill is a charter for a Brexit that would be good for the hedge fund managers and speculators, but bad for the communities that we represent, our industries and people’s jobs and living standards. Industries from chemical processing to car manufacturing are all deeply worried about how the Bill will operate.

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 (Rule of Law)

Debate between Jeremy Corbyn and Bob Seely

Monday 9th September 2019 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Corbyn]

We have always wanted to get a deal, but what we do not want is the no-deal exit with all the dangers to jobs, living standards and supplies, and the Prime Minister and his chums taking us down the road into the arms of Donald Trump and the trade arrangements he will make with the United States.

Last week, the Prime Minister had several opportunities at the Dispatch Box, but on each and every occasion he failed to give a single detail, in response to numerous questions, about what the Government are aiming to negotiate in terms of a new deal with the European Union.

[Mr Bob Seely (Isle of Wight) (Con)]

Will the Leader of the Opposition give way?

[Jeremy Corbyn]

For the last time.

[Mr Seely]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for giving way. On a point of clarification, he says how important the rule of law is, and I agree. How many paramilitary and terrorist organisations has he supported and how many murders have they committed?

[Jeremy Corbyn]

I am glad the hon. Gentleman managed to read out his intervention that was given to him earlier.

This is a debate about a Government saying that they will not abide by a law passed by this Parliament. I would have thought it was very straightforward. The Prime Minister should simply say, “This House voted. Of course the Executive must accept the decision.”

This weekend the right hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Amber Rudd) resigned.