North Korea

Debate between Lord Campbell of Pittenweem and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Thursday 27th April 2017 Lords Chamber

[The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con)]

My Lords, with brief questions we can hear from the Liberal Democrats and then the Labour Benches.

[Lord Campbell of Pittenweem]

My Lords, what is the response of Her Majesty’s Government to the opinion expressed today by Mr Paul Wolfowitz, who was a member of the Administration of George W Bush and is no shrinking violet in these matters, that the solution to the crisis with North Korea will not rest in military action, not least because of the dangers that that would present to the citizens of South Korea?

Brexit: Triggering Article 50

Debate between Lord Campbell of Pittenweem and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Wednesday 29th March 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Campbell of Pittenweem]

My Lords, it is axiomatic that Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union will weaken it. Is it not all the more curious, therefore, for the Prime Minister to be extolling the virtues of European values at the same time as undermining the very institution that embodies them?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

Not at all. We have made it very clear that we share the same values and we want to see them remain strong. That is one of the things that we have in common and one of the things that will ensure that we continue to have a strong relationship with our European counterparts.

European Council

Debate between Lord Campbell of Pittenweem and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Tuesday 14th March 2017 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

As I have said to the House, we are determined and optimistic about an excellent trade deal with the EU, and will do everything we can across the negotiations to ensure that we achieve that.

[Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (LD)]

My Lords, is it not necessary to have some realism about increased trade with Commonwealth countries? In particular, for example, have the Government considered what the position would be of Cumbrian sheep farmers, and indeed sheep farmers in the less favoured areas of Scotland and Wales, were there to be an agreement on agriculture with New Zealand?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

I think we might be straying slightly off the agenda of the EU Council—which is not to dismiss the concerns that the noble Lord raised. As I said, we and the Prime Minister are looking for a deal that works for all of the UK.

Informal European Council

Debate between Lord Campbell of Pittenweem and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Monday 6th February 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (LD)]

My Lords, when considering the quality of the commitment of the President to NATO, are we entitled to look at his continuing favourable ambiguity towards Mr Putin, whose avowed intention is the undermining of NATO?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

The Prime Minister has been extremely clear to both President Putin and, indeed, the President of the United States that our relationship with Russia cannot be business as usual, as a result of its actions in Ukraine and Syria. Where there are issues that we disagree on, we should hold Russia to account, but we also need to have hard-headed engagement where we can move forward. As the Prime Minister was very clear and said to the President, we need to engage but beware.

European Council: December 2016

Debate between Lord Campbell of Pittenweem and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Monday 19th December 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

I hope I have made it clear that the Prime Minister has been very clear that her objective remains wanting to give reassurance. We have made our intentions clear and we need other European leaders to match our commitment. My noble friend is absolutely right that we need to provide certainty where we can, which is why the Prime Minister has once again reiterated to our European partners that we will be triggering Article 50 before the end of March.

[Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (LD)]

My Lords, I regret that I am not suffused with the Christmas spirit to the same extent as my noble friend Lord Newby. While I am totally in favour of mature and co-operative relationships, when may we expect one such from the Cabinet? There is much concern about the uncertainty caused by our decision to move towards activating Article 50, so how is that uncertainty to be removed if Members of the Cabinet are consistently at odds with each other as to what the Government’s objectives really are?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

My Lords, I think I have been very clear. Our objectives are extremely clear: to deliver the best deal for the British people.

European Council

Debate between Lord Campbell of Pittenweem and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Monday 24th October 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

A range of issues are involved in the transitional arrangements, the Department for Exiting the EU is considering them and a lot of work is going on. Of course we want to ensure that we are using the expertise and skills of universities and trade negotiators to get the best deal.

[Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (LD)]

My Lords, quite the most interesting feature of the Statement is the second-last sentence, which reads:

“and we can secure the deal that is right for the British people, whose instruction”—

my emphasis—

“it is our duty to deliver”.

Are we embarking on a rather novel constitutional change, in which an advisory referendum becomes an instruction to government? Is not the proper inference to be drawn from that sentence that the Government intend—whatever the circumstances, deal or no deal, even if it is patently against the interests of the people of the United Kingdom—to persist in the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union?