European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill Debate

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Department: Department for Exiting the European Union
Seema Kennedy Portrait Seema Kennedy
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If the hon. Lady listens, I will elucidate.

The preconditions required would mean that whatever the British negotiating team were to say, our EU counterparts would think that they could frustrate, delay or even veto any deal. Certainty was the No. 1 priority in the Prime Minister’s Lancaster House speech. How can there be any certainty for our businesses, our constituents or even our European partners if there is a prospect of endless review by this place?

Stella Creasy Portrait Stella Creasy (Walthamstow) (Lab/Co-op)
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Will the hon. Lady give way?

Seema Kennedy Portrait Seema Kennedy
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I have already said that I will not give way.

Lord Hill, who is a man of great experience in EU negotiations, said this of our European counterparts:

“They need to know that what our negotiators say our negotiators can deliver.”—[Official Report, House of Lords, 20 February 2017; Vol. 779, c. 32.]

I therefore urge all right hon. and hon. Members to reject the Lords amendments and give the Prime Minister the strongest possible hand in her negotiations.