Northern Ireland Protocol

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem Excerpts

Tuesday 28th February 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord True (Con)]

My noble friend is right. There are certainly advantages which this framework enables to continue in north-south access and north-south trade. However, I repeat that there is the corollary, which was neglected and which the UK and the EU have addressed in this agreement, of obstruction to east-west trade. I agree on the institutions, but I stick by what I said at first. I am not going to put anybody in a box. It is reasonable that all those who have suffered and considered and laboured in very difficult years across many decades—indeed, I go back to the time when my noble friend was a Minister—reflect and examine the documents before us.

[Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (LD)]

My Lords—

[Lord Hain (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Noble Lords]

Hain!

[Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (LD)]

My Lords, I welcome the Statement. However, we should pause and remind ourselves that there were two parties in this negotiation. Justifiably, the House has already been generous to the Government. We should show similar generosity to the European Union, without whose concessions this agreement would not have been reached.

[Lord True (Con)]

I believe that I had sought to do that, my Lords.