Transcripts For CSPAN British House Of Commons Opening State

Transcripts For CSPAN British House Of Commons Opening Statements By B. Johnson J. Corbyn 20240713

Minister. I want to begin by echoing my gratitude to all members of the house for assembling on a saturday for the first time in 37 years. I know that it has meant people breaking into their saturdays. Of course, it means missing at least the end of the england world cup quarterfinal. I apologize for that. I wish i could have watched it myself. The house has gone three great deal of trouble to assemble here on a saturday for the first time in a generation. And i do hope that in assembling for the purposes of a meaningful vote that we will be allowed to have a meaningful vote. And with permission, i shall make a statement on the new agreement that our european friends. The house will need no reminding that this is the second deal in the fourth vote, 3 1 2 years after the nation voted for brexit. During those years, friendships have been strained, families divided, and the attention of this house consumed by a single issue that at times felt incapable of resolution. I hope, mr. Speaker, that this is the moment where we can finally achieve the resolution and reconcile the instincts that compete within us. Many times in the last 30 years, i have heard our european friends remark that this country is halfhearted in its e. U. Membership. It is true that we in the u. K. Have often been a back marker, opting out of the single currency, not taking part, very often trying to block some collective ambition. In the last 3 1 2 years it has been striking that members on all sides of this house have debated brexit in almost entirely practical terms, in an argument that is focused on the balance of economic risk and advantage. I do not think i can recall a time when i have heard a Single Member call for britain to play her full part in the political construction of a federal europe. I do not think i have a Single Member call for deeper integration or a federal destiny. I dont think i have heard much of it, mr. Speaker. There is a whole side of that debate that you hear regularly in other european capitals. It is absent from our national conversation. I dont think that has changed much in the last 30 years. But if we have been skeptical, and if we have been anxious about the remoteness of the bureaucracy, if we have been dubious about the rhetoric of union and integration, if we have been halfhearted europeans, then it follows that with part of our hearts, with half of our hearts we feel something else. A sense of love and respect for european culture and civilization, of which we are a part. A desire to cooperate with our friends and partners in everything creatively, artistically, a sense of our shared destiny, and a deep understanding of the eternal need. For britain to stand as a guarantor of peace. It is because we are capable of feeling both things at once, skeptical about the modes of e. U. Integration, but passionate and enthusiastic about europe that the whole experience of the last 3 1 2 years has been so difficult for this country and so divided. That is why it is now so urgent for us to move on and to build a new relationship with our friends in the e. U. On the basis of a new deal, a deal that can heal the rift in british politics, unite the warring instincts in us all. And now is the time for this great house of commons to come together and bring the country together today. As i believe people at home are hoping and expecting. With a new way forward, and a new and better deal both for britain and for our friends in the e. U. This deal allows the u. K. Whole and entire to leave the e. U. On october 31, in accordance with the referendum, while simultaneously looking forward to a new partnership. I pay tribute to our european friends for escaping the prison of existing positions and showing the vision to be flexible by reopening the Withdrawal Agreement. And thereby addressing the deep concerns in our house. One of my most important jobs is to express those concerns to our european friends, and i shall continue to listen to all honorable members to meet with anyone on any side and to welcome the scrutiny the house will bring to bear if, as i hope, we proceed to consider the withdrawal bill next week. Today, this house has a historic opportunity to show the same breadth of vision as our european neighbors, the same resolve to reach past disagreements to get brexit done. And moving this country forwards as we learn to do. This agreement provides for a real brexit, taking back control of our borders, laws, money, farming, fisheries, and trade. Amounting to the single greatest restoration of National Sovereignty in history. It removes the backstop which wouldve held us against their will in the Customs Union and much of the Single Market. For the first time in almost five decades, the u. K. Will be able to strike free trade deals with our friends across the world to benefit the whole country, including Northern Ireland. Article four of the protocol states that Northern Ireland is part of the customs territory of the United Kingdom. It adds, nothing prevents Northern Ireland from realizing the preferential Market Access in any free trade deals. On the same terms as goods produced in other parts of the United Kingdom. Our negotiations are focused on the uniquely sensitive nature of the border between Northern Ireland and the republic, and we have respected the sensitivities. Above all, we and our european friends have preserved the letter in the spirit of the belfast good friday agreement, and have upheld the longstanding areas of cooperation between the u. K. In ireland including the common travel areas. As i have told the house, in order to prevent a regulatory border on the island of ireland, we propose regulatory zones. Eliminating any need for associated checks at the border. Mr. Speaker, we have gone further by finding a solution to the question of customs which many in this house have raised. Our agreement ensures, unfettered Market Access for goods moving from Northern Ireland to the rest of the United Kingdoms internal market. It ensures that there should be no tariff on goods in the u. K. Customs territory and less they unless they are at risk of entering the e. U. It ensures an open border on the island ireland and a Common Objective of everyone in this house. And it ensures for those living and working alongside the border there will be no visible or practical changes to their lives and they can carry on as before. I believe that this is a good arrangement, reconciling the special circumstances in Northern Ireland with the minimum possible consequences. And it is precicely to ensure those arrangements are acceptable to the people of Northern Ireland that we have made consent a fundamental element of this new deal. So no arrangements can be imposed on Northern Ireland if they do not work for Northern Ireland. The people of northern will have the people of Northern Ireland will have the right under this agreement to express or withhold their consent to these provisions by means of a majority vote four years after the end of the transition. And if the assembly chooses to withhold consent, these provisions shall cease to apply after two years, during which the joint committee of the u. K. And e. U. Would propose a new way forward in concert with Northern Irelands institutions. And as soon as this house allows the process of extracting ourselves from the e. U. To be completed, the exciting enterprise of building a new relationship with our friends can begin, which has been too long delayed. I do not wish this project to be the project of any one government or one party, rather the endeavor of the United Kingdom as a whole. Only this parliament can make this new relationship the work of the nation. So parliament should be at the heart of decisionmaking as we develop our approach, and i acknowledge that we have not always acted in that spirit. So as we take forward our friendship with our closest neighbors and construct that new relationship, i will ensure that a broad and open process draws upon the wealth of expertise in every part of this house, including select committees and their chairs, and every party and member who wishes to contribute will be invited to do so, and we shall start by debating the mandate for our negotiators in the next phase. Mr. Speaker, the ambition is contained in the revised political declaration which allows for this house to determine our own laws and regulations. I have complete faith in this house to choose regulations in our best tradition of the highest standard. Our best traditions, and the highest standards of Environmental Protection and workers rights. No one anywhere in this chamber believes in lowering standards. Instead [shouting] speaker the statement by the Prime Minister must be heard, and it will be. Prime minister . Prime minister johnson no one believes in lowering standards and we believe in improving them as we will be able to do. Seizing the opportunities of our new freedoms, for example, free from the Common Agricultural policy. We will have a simpler system where we will reward farmers for improving our environment and animal welfare. Many of whose provisions are impossible under the current deals, instead of just paying them for their acreage. Free from the common fisheries policy, we can ensure sustainable yields based on science, not outdated methods. These restored powers will be available not simply to this government but to every future British Government and any party to use as they see fit. That is what restoring sovereignty means. That is what meant in practice taking back control of our destiny. And our first decision, for which i will believe there will be unanimity, is that in any future trade negotiations with any country, our National Health service will not be on the table. Mr. Speaker mr. Speaker, i am convinced that an overwhelming majority in this house, regardless of our personal views, wishes to see brexit delivered in accordance with the referendum. A majority. And in this crucial mission, there can no longer be any argument for further delay. And as someone who passionately believed that we had to go back to our european friends to seek a better agreement, i must tell the house that with this new deal, the scope for future negotiation and fruitful negotiation has run its course. They said they said we couldnt reopen the Withdrawal Agreement, mr. Speaker. They said we couldnt reopen the Withdrawal Agreement. They said we couldnt change a comma in the agreement, they said we could not abolish the next up, mr. Speaker. We have done both. It is now my judgment we have reached the best possible solution, so those who agree, like me, that brexit must be delivered, and who like me prefer to avoid a no deal outcome, must abandon the delusion that this house can delay again. And i must tell the house in all candor that there is very little appetite among our friends in the eu for this brexit business to be protected by one extra day. They have had three and a half years of this debate that has distracted them from their own projects and ambitions. And if there is one feeling, if there is one feeling that unites the British Public with a growing number of officials in the eu, it is a burning desire to get brexit done. And i must tell the house, again, in all candor that whatever letters they may seek to enforce, to force the government to write, it cannot change my judgment that further delay is pointless,expensive and deeply corrosive of public trust. And people simply will not understand how politicians can say with one breath that they want delay to avoid no deal, and then with the next breath that they still want delay when a great deal is there to be done. Now is the time now is the time, mr. Speaker, to get this thing done. And i say to all members, let us come together to end, let us come together as democrats to end this debilitating feud. Let us come together as democrats to get behind this deal. The one proposition that fulfills the verdict of the majority, for which also allows us to bring together the two halves of our hearts, to bring together the two halves of our nation. Lets speak now, both for the 52 and for the 48. Lets heal this country. Lets go for a deal that will heal this country. And that will heal us and allow us to express our desires with our deepest friendship with our neighbors. A deal that allows us to create a shared destiny with them and a deal that also allows us to express our confidence in our own democratic institutions, to make our own laws, to determine our own future, to believe in ourselves once again as an open, generous, global, outwardlooking, freetrading United Kingdom. That is the prospect. That is the prospect that this deal offers our country. It is a great prospect and a great deal, and i commend it to the house. I call the leader of the opposition, jeremy corbyn. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I join you in thanking all the staff that have come into the house this morning to help us, cleaning staff, security staff, catering staff. They have given up a weekend in order to help our deliberations. I also want to thank the Prime Minister for an advance copy of his statement. He has renegotiated the Withdrawal Agreement and made it even worse. He has renegotiated the political declaration and made that even worse. We are having a debate today on a text of which there is no Economic Impact assessment and no accompanying legal advice. This government has sought to avoid scrutiny throughout the process and yesterday evening made empty promises on workers rights and the environment. The same government that spent the last few weeks negotiating in secret to remove from the Withdrawal Agreement legally binding commitments on workers rights and the environment. This government cannot be trusted and these ventures will not be duped. Neither will the government neither, mr. Speaker, will the governments own workers, the head of the Civil Service Union Prospect yesterday met the right honorable member for surrey heath and at the conclusion of , that meeting he said, i asked for reassurances that the government would not diverge on workers rights after brexit. He could not give me those assurances. And as for the muchhyped, world leading environment bill, the legally binding targets will not be enforceable until 2037. For this government, the Climate Emergency can always wait. Mr. Speaker, this deal risks peoples jobs, rights at work, our environment, and our National Health service. We must be honest about what this deal means for our Manufacturing Industry and peoples jobs. Not only does it reduce access to the market of our biggest trading partner, it leaves us without a Customs Union, which will Damage Industries all across this country in every one of our constituencies. From nissan in sunderland, and landbroughton rover in burlington, thousands of jobs depend on a Strong Manufacturing sector. And that sector needs markets with fluid supply chains all across the European Union. A vote for this deal would be a vote to cut manufacturing jobs all across this country. This deal, mr. Speaker, would inevitably and absolutely inevitably lead to a trump trade deal. Forcing the u. K. To diverge from the highest standards and expose our families, once again, to chlorine washed chicken and hormone treated beef. This deal order. I did say that the statement by the Prime Minister must be heard. The response by the leader of the opposition in the traditions of our democracy must also be heard. And it will. Jeremy corbyn. Mr. Corbyn this deal enshrines the principle we keep pace with the European Union on Environmental Standards and protections, putting at risk our current rules from air pollution standards to chemical safety. We all know the public concern about these issues. All at the same time that we are facing a Climate Emergency. And as for workers rights, we simply cannot give the government a blank check. Mr. Speaker, you dont have to take my word for all of this. Listen, for example, to the t. U. C. General secretary who says thisy, she does represent an organization that has 6 million members affiliated to it. This deal, mr. Speaker, would be a disaster for working people. It would hammer the economy, cost jobs and sell workers rights down the river. Listen to make u. K. , representing british manufacturers, this is their comments on the deal, members might care to listen to them. The commitments to trading relationships in goods have gone. Under this deal, differences in regulation between the u. K. And the eu, without cost and bureaucracy. Our companies will face a lack of clarity, inhibiting investment and planning. Listen also to the green alliance, who said the deal amounted to a very sad brexit read from a climate perspective. The message, mr. Speaker, is clear. This deal is not good for jobs, damaging for our industry and a threat to our environment and our natural world. Its

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