Commonwealth Meeting and the Philippines Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Brennan of Canton
Main Page: Lord Brennan of Canton (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Brennan of Canton's debates with the Cabinet Office
(11 years, 11 months ago)
Commons Chamber The Prime Minister
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            The Prime Minister 
        
    
        
    
        My hon. Friend makes an important point. There needs to be a process of education to try to reduce demand for those products, because that, of course, is what drives the trade in the first place. I am excited that next year we will be having that very important conference in the United Kingdom, bringing all the experts together, when we can really give as big a boost as possible.
 Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab) 
        
    
        
    
        Is it the Prime Minister’s position that the Governments of Canada, India and Mauritius, by deciding not to attend the summit, exercised a serious misjudgment and are sticking their heads in the sand?
 The Prime Minister
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            The Prime Minister 
        
    
        
    
        My point is simply this: this country has a unique relationship with the Commonwealth and it would therefore have been completely wrong, opportunistic and irresponsible not to go. I think that has been demonstrated amply this afternoon.