Prime Minister’s Statement

Pete Wishart Excerpts

Saturday 19th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Diolch yn fawr, Mr Speaker. I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who speaks for Wales, as ever. It is a great deal for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

[Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) can now cheer up, because he is going to be heard.

[Pete Wishart]

I have a cheery disposition, Mr Speaker, but Scotland says we reject this—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I want to hear the hon. Gentleman, but I could not do so. I want to hear his dulcet tones. Blurt it out, man.

[Pete Wishart]

I am grateful, Mr Speaker. Scotland says today that we reject this rotten deal. We will be taken out of the European Union, which we value and cherish, against our national collective will, be deprived of the customs union and single market and be left at a competitive disadvantage to our friends in Northern Ireland. Is it not the case that Scotland can retain its EU membership only by becoming a normal independent nation?

[The Prime Minister]

I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman is sadly in error if he thinks that Northern Ireland is part of the EU customs union. It is simply not; it is part of the UK customs union, as indeed is Scotland, which is greatly to the benefit of the people of Scotland.