Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Tommy Sheppard Excerpts
Wednesday 23rd October 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Oliver Dowden Portrait Oliver Dowden
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My hon. Friend makes an important point, and that is exactly the commitment that the Prime Minister has given.

Tommy Sheppard Portrait Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP)
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Back in the 2014 Scottish referendum, the winning side promised that Scotland’s views would not be ignored in the Union, yet on the matter that has consumed British politics for the past four years, the opinions of the Scottish people and their elected representatives have consistently been sidelined. The Minister will know that that has driven many people to reconsider their faith in the Union. Does he have any regrets about how the Conservative party has approached this matter?

Oliver Dowden Portrait Oliver Dowden
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The hon. Gentleman talks about commitments, but I remember the commitment from the leader of the Scottish nationalists in Scotland, who said the referendum was a once-in-a-generation event. As for how many people voted, more people voted to leave in Scotland than voted for the Scottish National party.