Oral Answers to Questions

Emma Lewell-Buck Excerpts

Thursday 12th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[David Simmonds (Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner) (Con)]

What recent progress he has made on negotiations on the UK's future relationship with the EU.

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the progress of the UK’s negotiations with the EU.

[Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the progress of the UK’s negotiations with the EU.

--- Later in debate ---

[Michael Gove]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point and, as a distinguished former local government leader, he knows the power of good local government to make a difference for the better for all our citizens. That is why, as we take power back from the European Union, we are working not just with the devolved Administrations in Holyrood and Cardiff and Belfast, but also with local government leaders and metro Mayors—including, of course, the superb metro Mayor in Teesside, Ben Houchen—to ensure that we exercise the distribution of power in a more equitable and progressive fashion.

[Mrs Lewell-Buck]

These negotiations are not going well and time is running out. The best the UK can now hope for is a very basic trade deal with the EU. The Minister knows that in all negotiations there needs to be concessions and some give and take on all sides, so what exactly, if anything, is the UK willing to concede or compromise on?

[Michael Gove]

The UK has already shown a great degree of flexibility in these negotiations, but it is that the European Union shows flexibility too, and in particular there needs to be full recognition that we are sovereign equals, and any attempt to continue to tie the UK into EU processes or to extend EU jurisdiction by other means will be quite wrong.