Brexit: No-deal Preparations

Lord Wigley Excerpts
Wednesday 20th March 2019

(5 years, 9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Callanan Portrait Lord Callanan
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I think we will have to wait to see what happens next week. It remains our view that Parliament should pass the deal because we think it is the best deal available, but we will await the outcome of the Council this weekend before commenting further.

Lord Wigley Portrait Lord Wigley (PC)
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My Lords, is the Minister aware that a Paris political website is reporting that President Macron is not minded to support this deal because of the lack of clarity? That being so, we would be crashing out a week on Friday. Do the Government believe that that is practical, given what they have already said about the need for more time?

Lord Callanan Portrait Lord Callanan
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It is difficult for me to comment on rumours on the internet or on Twitter. I would be surprised if that was the case, but any EU member state can veto an extension and if one does, as I have said, the legal position under Article 50, as voted for by Parliament, and under the EU withdrawal Act, voted for by this Parliament, is that we would leave on 29 June.