Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Pochin Excerpts

Thursday 10th July 2025 Commons Chamber

The Minister for the Cabinet Office was asked—

[Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) (Reform)]

1. What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the new trading relationship with the EU.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

15. What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the new UK-EU trading relationship.

[Sarah Pochin]

In 1973, the UK joined the European Economic Community, which later became the European Union. Given this week’s visit by the French President and this Government’s desire for closer co-operation with the EU, will the Minister confirm that no new or existing trade deal will lead to this country rejoining the EU through the back door?

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

That is absolutely not the case. What we have with the European Union is a new deal that the supermarkets say has put a downward pressure on prices, and which Octopus Energy says will bring the cost of energy down. I am surprised to hear that Reform is against that, but since it has welcomed Liz Truss’s party chairman as a new member today, perhaps it is no surprise that Reform takes that view.