Oral Answers to Questions

Matthew Patrick Excerpts

Wednesday 4th November 2026 Commons Chamber

The Prime Minister was asked—

[Matthew Patrick (Wirral West) (Lab)]

Q1. If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 4 November.

[The First Secretary of State (Louise Haigh)]

I have been asked to respond on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, who is accompanying His Majesty the King at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Antigua. This weekend, the whole country will fall silent to mark Remembrance Sunday. We pay tribute to the men and women who have served, and all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our values and freedoms. I wish a joyful and peaceful Diwali to everyone who will be celebrating. This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I will have further such meetings later today.

[Matthew Patrick]

Giving people opportunity is the mission of our party, but for young people on the Wirral, Brexit means that they have been denied many of the opportunities that their parents enjoyed, such as the right to work, study or live anywhere across Europe. The progress being made on a sanitary and phytosanitary deal gives me real confidence and hope that we can strike a good deal with the European Union in our national interests. Can the Government go further, strike a deal for young people, and restore to them the opportunities that Brexit took away?

[Louise Haigh]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right that the Brexit deal we inherited damaged our economy, weakened our ability to control immigration and took opportunities away from young people. Negotiations are ongoing, but we know that an SPS deal could add billions to our economy, cutting costs for exporters, helping supermarkets offer better prices, and supporting British farmers. We are working with the EU to create a balanced youth experience scheme that creates opportunities for young people to live, work and study abroad. Meanwhile, the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Alex Burghart) has already said that the Conservatives would rip all that up, no matter the benefits; perhaps he would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight?