Brexit: Green Paper

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean Excerpts
Monday 9th January 2017

(7 years, 9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Bridges of Headley Portrait Lord Bridges of Headley
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The noble Lord has a unique way of putting things, which I note, but I do not think the Government would necessarily adopt quite that phraseology. It is clear: the Government have set out on numerous occasions over the past few months our intention to take control over our borders, our money and our laws, while achieving the best possible access to the single market for businesses. That is the position.

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean Portrait Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Con)
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Does my noble friend not think that it would be simpler to stop referring to the single market and refer instead to what is in the treaty—the internal market—thereby making it obvious that it is absurd to argue that we should leave the European Union and be in the internal market?

Lord Bridges of Headley Portrait Lord Bridges of Headley
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As usual, my noble friend speaks with a great amount of forensic attention to detail. He is absolutely right from that point of view, but the words are the words that we seem to be using.