Leaving the EU

Debate between Theresa May and Alister Jack

Monday 26th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I have given earlier on that question.

[Mr Alister Jack (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

The Prime Minister said in her statement that this House can choose to reject this deal or go back to square one. Will she spell out to the House exactly what square one means?

[The Prime Minister]

What I meant was that we will go back to a period of significant uncertainty and division. It is important that we recognise that we have a duty to deliver on the Brexit vote, having a care for our constituents’ jobs and livelihoods and their future, and this deal delivers on both of those.

October EU Council

Debate between Theresa May and Alister Jack

Monday 22nd October 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

No, it is not right. It has been clear from the very beginning that it is not possible for the legal treaty, free trade agreement and other aspects to be signed until we are outside the European Union. However, I have also said that we need to ensure that when Members come to vote on the overall package—the withdrawal agreement and the outline of the future relationship—they have sufficient detail to have confidence in the nature of the future relationship. An important aspect is the link that there will be between the withdrawal agreement and the future relationship, because, as the EU itself has said, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

[Mr Alister Jack (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

Will the Prime Minister confirm that when we leave the common fisheries policy in December 2020, she will not allow our fishing resources to be included in any future trade deal?

[The Prime Minister]

I am absolutely clear that when we leave the common fisheries policy, we will become an independent coastal state. We will have to sit round the table with others, and negotiate with others, as an independent coastal state, but we will be doing that on our own, for our own purposes. Of course, if the Scottish National party had its way, Scotland would stay in the common fisheries policy, which would be bad for Scottish fishermen.

European Council

Debate between Theresa May and Alister Jack

Monday 26th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

It is of course not the case that the EU has trade agreements with every country that we might wish to have trade agreements with, but a number of countries do have trade agreements with the EU. We have discussed being able to move those over into a bilateral relationship at the point of our leaving. When I talk with those countries, I see a desire to go further than that and to improve the agreements we have with those countries.

[Mr Alister Jack (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

Does the Prime Minister agree that our fishing rights must not be hardwired into any future trade deal?

[The Prime Minister]

I recognise the concern there was at the time when we went into the common fisheries policy about the way in which our fishing rights were dealt with. I can assure my hon. Friend that we will be looking to deal with our fishing in a very different way in the future.