Debates between John Whittingdale and Richard Graham during the 2017-2019 Parliament

Tue 22nd Oct 2019
European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill
Commons Chamber

2nd reading: House of Commons & Programme motion: House of Commons

European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill

Debate between John Whittingdale and Richard Graham
2nd reading: House of Commons & Programme motion: House of Commons
Tuesday 22nd October 2019

(5 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill 2019-19 View all European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill 2019-19 Debates Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Richard Graham Portrait Richard Graham (Gloucester) (Con)
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Will my right hon. Friend give way?

John Whittingdale Portrait Mr Whittingdale
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I must press on if my hon. Friend will forgive me.

I do believe, however, that, as my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Sir David Lidington) said, the European Union has reopened this deal once but it is not going to do so again. When I and my colleagues in the Exiting the European Union Committee—its Chairman, the right hon. Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn), is sitting opposite me—have been to see Mr Barnier, Mr Selmayr and Mr Verhofstadt, they have all asked us, “What is it that will get a majority in the House of Commons?” That is what they have wanted to know. That is what I hope we will be able to show them tonight.

There is no question about it: the European Union is as fed up with this dragging on as I think the entire United Kingdom is. It wants to get the matter settled. To be honest, those who vote against tonight will, I suspect, find fault in whatever deal is put forward; actually, their agenda is stopping Brexit. This represents an opportunity finally to settle this matter and to deliver what the people voted for now coming on three and a half years ago. I hope that the House will—at last—vote in favour of the deal that is before us and in favour of the programme motion in order that we can get it delivered and fulfil the promise by 31 October.