Brexit: Court of Justice of the European Union

Lord Wallace of Saltaire Excerpts

Thursday 30th March 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Richard (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD)]

My Lords—

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach (Con)]

My Lords, I am sorry, it is in fact the Lib Dems’ turn.

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire]

My Lords, does the Minister recall that yesterday the Prime Minister stressed that we share liberal democratic values with our European partners? Does she accept that acceptance of the rule of law and of the importance of the rule of law is a fundamental liberal democrat value and that a small number of right-wing lawyers—Sir William Cash, Martin Howe QC and others—who think that common law cannot possibly be contaminated by Roman law have erected that as one of the red lines in our relationship with the European Union and insist that we are seen to be prepared to sacrifice the single market for that? Why do the Government not accept that the rule of law does not stop at the water’s edge?