European Council Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

European Council

Baroness Hoey Excerpts
Monday 26th March 2018

(6 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Theresa May Portrait The Prime Minister
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I thank my hon. Friend for that suggestion. I am very happy to join him and the British delegation in making that request.

Baroness Hoey Portrait Kate Hoey (Vauxhall) (Lab)
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May I congratulate the Prime Minister on getting unanimity on Russia?

Will the Prime Minister state categorically today that no matter what happens, the implementation period will end at the end of December 2020? Does she agree that to go into any negotiation saying that one will never walk away is not the way to get the best result?

Theresa May Portrait The Prime Minister
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I certainly agree with the hon. Lady on that point, which I have made in the Chamber in the past. Anybody going into a negotiation needs to be able to take that position.

On the end date of the implementation period, I have spoken about it being around two years. In the negotiations, the European Union wanted it to be at December 2020, and I felt it was appropriate that we had that firm date, so that everybody is clear about when the implementation period will end.