Council of the European Union: UK Presidency Debate

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Department: Department for Exiting the European Union

Lord Cunningham of Felling

Main Page: Lord Cunningham of Felling (Labour - Life peer)

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Housebuilding: Target

Council of the European Union: UK Presidency

Lord Cunningham of Felling Excerpts

Pubs Code etc. Regulations 2016
Tuesday 19th July 2016

(7 years, 9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Bridges of Headley Portrait Lord Bridges of Headley
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I thank the noble Baroness for those points. Those are exactly the kinds of things that we need to take into consideration.

Lord Cunningham of Felling Portrait Lord Cunningham of Felling
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My Lords, why would the United Kingdom not want to take up the presidency—not just of the whole of the European Union but of each Council of Ministers? It would give us significant influence in those Council discussions over a six-month period which will be crucial to the negotiations for Britain leaving the European Union. It would be madness not to take up this opportunity.

Lord Bridges of Headley Portrait Lord Bridges of Headley
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The noble Lord speaks with great experience—far more than I have had after only 36 hours in the job. I absolutely heed what he says but, as I said, that is exactly why we are taking our time to consider these matters.

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