The Government's Plan for Brexit

Debate between Oliver Letwin and David T C Davies

Wednesday 7th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Sir Oliver Letwin]

He did. The outcome was catastrophic. I wrote 100 articles inveighing against the Maastricht treaty. Had we never signed up to the Maastricht treaty, we would not now be in this position. The right hon. Gentleman is not citing a precedent that augurs well for the negotiations that are to come.

[David T. C. Davies (Monmouth) (Con)]

During those negotiations, did not John Major say,

“don’t bind my hands when I am negotiating”

with the European Union?

[Sir Oliver Letwin]

He did. He did not succeed in having his hands not bound, and I repeat that the result was a catastrophe.