Debates between Nick Thomas-Symonds and Mike Wood during the 2024 Parliament

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Thomas-Symonds and Mike Wood
Thursday 5th December 2024

(2 weeks, 5 days ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nick Thomas-Symonds Portrait Nick Thomas-Symonds
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The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise the issue of very high standards of animal welfare in food production. This Government will prioritise that in trade policy, unlike the Conservatives who, when they were in government, negotiated free trade agreements that consistently undermined agriculture in the UK.

Mike Wood Portrait Mike Wood (Kingswinford and South Staffordshire) (Con)
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We all support efforts to remove unnecessary trade barriers, but we must also be clear with our European partners on what we cannot accept. What is the Paymaster General prepared to say is off the table: dynamic alignment, British fishing rights, or maybe asylum burden-sharing?

Nick Thomas-Symonds Portrait Nick Thomas-Symonds
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The Labour party manifesto set out our red lines in this negotiation. We will not go back to the battles of the past. We will not return to the single market. We will not return to the customs union. We will not return to freedom of movement. What we will do is negotiate with the European Union to make the British people safer and more secure, so we have closer law enforcement co-operation. We will negotiate to reduce trade barriers to make the British people more prosperous.