EU Exit Negotiations

Martin Whitfield Excerpts

Monday 15th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I can give my hon. Friend that assurance. We are absolutely clear that we are coming out of the common fisheries policy and that we will be an independent coastal state. We will be able to decide and negotiate who has access to our waters.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

The Prime Minister has ruled out putting a date on the backstop. Can she also rule out an indefinite backstop with a notice period?

[The Prime Minister]

I am very clear that we are not going to have an indefinite backstop and that we will ensure that the backstop is a temporary arrangement. As I said in my statement,

“while I do not believe that this will be the case…if the EU were not to co-operate on our future relationship, we must be able to ensure that we cannot be kept in this backstop arrangement indefinitely. I would not expect this House to agree to a deal unless we have the reassurance that the UK, as a sovereign nation, has this say over our arrangements with the EU.”