INTERNATIONAL TRADE Committee

Debate between Rosie Winterton and Bill Wiggin

Monday 18th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Bill Wiggin (North Herefordshire) (Con)]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Selection Committee only makes recommendations to the House. Last week, we had objections to our recommendations. Normally, we would hope that the House would come to a decision. That has not happened. I am rather hoping that, sometime this week, time will be found for the House to make a decision because Members are affected by the make-up of Select Committees. Perhaps the objection we have heard this evening might also be considered, so that the Members concerned at least know what is likely to happen.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order and for giving me notice of it. I understand that some previous Select Committee membership changes that were objected to appear on tomorrow’s Order Paper and can be debated. I am sure he understands that it is a matter for the Government to decide when to provide time for the debate on the change objected to tonight, but the Ministers on the Treasury Bench will have heard his words, and I am sure they will feed that back through the appropriate channels.

Strengthening the Union

Debate between Rosie Winterton and Bill Wiggin

Monday 23rd July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I have no idea whether the Minister has gone out temporarily, but there is another Minister on hand. I do hope that we are not going to have this debate interrupted by endless points of order, because people want to contribute; it is not fair.

[Bill Wiggin]

I quite agree, Madam Deputy Speaker. I was at the critical moment when I was about to discuss my affection for Wales.

I chose to join that finest regiment in the British Army, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, now more helpfully called the Royal Welsh, when I went to university in Bangor in north Wales. There you have it: a British person through and through—Irish, Scottish, Welsh and indeed English. We make a huge mistake in this place when we divide among ourselves. After all, what did God put France there for? But no, we must stick together. It is our unity and our respect for one another that is most important.

I urge the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (Lesley Laird) to pay careful attention to this. There are only two types of MP in this House: those who care about their constituents and those who do not. Those who care about their constituents, in whatever part of the Chamber they may sit, are well worthy of the respect that we would expect to have shown to ourselves. They stand up for their constituents, and all we question is how right or wrong they may be. I will defend to the death any colleague who believes in their constituents and in their right to be heard. If ever there is any doubt in Members’ minds about how important this place is to the strength of our Union, they should look at the one party that refuses to turn up. Members of that party will not take the Oath and they do not want the United Kingdom united. We should be judged by our enemies, by people who do not turn up, and by why they do not turn up—because this is our place where we can come together, where we can unify.