Exiting the EU: New Partnership

Desmond Swayne Excerpts
Thursday 2nd February 2017

(7 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Davis Portrait Mr Davis
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As it stands—as far as I can see, having gone through this quite carefully—once we are outside the EU, the question of whether we automatically cease to be a member of the EEA becomes a legal empty vessel. We will look at that. If we do propose to withdraw from the EEA, we will come back and tell the House.

Desmond Swayne Portrait Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)
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When European subjects have come to my surgery to talk about their rights, they have left in agreement that those rights must go hand in hand with the rights of UK subjects living in their own country. I hope the Secretary of State has got the message.

David Davis Portrait Mr Davis
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I have got the message and, incidentally, so have the leaders of most of the countries with the most people here. They also understand that we have to protect the rights of British people at the very same time as we protect the rights of their citizens. There is no question that it is not going to happen. The question is when it will happen, and we are trying to do it as quickly as possible.