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Brexit: MPs set to pass withdrawal agreement bill – live news
Brexit: MPs set to pass withdrawal agreement bill – live news
(32 minutes later)
Follow the latest political developments as MPs are due to vote on the EU withdrawal agreement bill and Clive Lewis becomes the second Labour MP to enter party’s leadership contest
Follow the latest political developments as MPs are due to vote on the EU withdrawal agreement bill and Clive Lewis becomes the second Labour MP to enter party’s leadership contest
Labour has released the full text of Corbyn’s speech on the withdrawal bill:
Sajid Javid is still on message:
Ian Blackford, leader of the SNP in the Commons, says the PM has no mandate to drag Scotland out of the EU against its will. He said Scotland will be made poorer by Brexit and it is already having an impact on the Scottish economy.
Former international trade secretary, Liam Fox, says the bill is about fulfilling a promise to the British people.
Corbyn challenges Johnson’s commitment to have no checks between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He says more checks will have a devastating impact on the economy.
Corbyn urges the PM to commit to ensure that workers rights don’t slip behind those in the EU.
Corbyn urges the PM to commit to ensure that workers rights don’t slip behind those in the EU.
He says the removal of the commitment to refugee children is an “absolute disgrace”. Quoting the charity Safe Passage he says the move is “shocking” and could result in the loss of life.
He says the removal of the commitment to refugee children is an “absolute disgrace”. Quoting the charity Safe Passage he says the move is “shocking” and could result in the loss of life.
Responding Jeremy Corbyn says Labour recognise the nation’s desire to move on from the referendum debate.
Responding Jeremy Corbyn says Labour recognise the nation’s desire to move on from the referendum debate.
But he says the Brexit deal will be used as a battering ram to deregulate the UK and leave it open to the excesses of the free market.
But he says the Brexit deal will be used as a battering ram to deregulate the UK and leave it open to the excesses of the free market.
He claims the deal is a roadmap for the reckless direction the prime minister is determined to take the UK.
He claims the deal is a roadmap for the reckless direction the prime minister is determined to take the UK.
“Now is the moment to come together and write a new chapter in this nation’s history,” Johnson says in closing his remarks.
“We remain certain there is a better and fairer way for this country to leave the EU,” Corbyn says.
The possible Labour leadership contender Lisa Nandy intervenes to challenge Johnson to show “decency” on child refugees. Johnson says the UK will accept unaccompanied children but not overseen by the EU.
Johnson says: “If this House comes together now to support this bill... history will record that the first act of this new Parliament in its earliest days was to break the ice flows and find a new way through”
“Now is the moment to come together and write a new chapter in this nation’s history,” he says in closing his remarks.
The possible Labour leadership contender Lisa Nandy intervenes to challenge Johnson to show “decency” on child refugees.
“If he thinks that people in towns like mine… want to see us turn our back on decency and tolerance and kindness and warmth and empathy he is wrong,” she said.
Johnson says the UK will accept unaccompanied children but not overseen by the EU.
He says the essence of the opportunity of Brexit is that parliament can take decisions for itself on this and environmental standards.
He says the essence of the opportunity of Brexit is that parliament can take decisions for itself on this and environmental standards.
He goes on to talk about the government’s “unwavering commitment” to keep Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom.
He goes on to talk about the government’s “unwavering commitment” to keep Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom.
Steven Swinford picks out these lines:
Steven Swinford picks out these lines:
Johnson insists the government is commitment to taking unaccompanied refugee children from Europe despite the withdrawal of provisions on this from the bill.
Johnson insists the government is commitment to taking unaccompanied refugee children from Europe despite the withdrawal of provisions on this from the bill.
Johnson insists that ruling out an extension to the implementation period will strengthen the UK’s bargaining position with the EU.
“The oven is on, it is set at gas mark 4, we can have it done by lunch or late lunch,” Johnson tells MPs.
Boris Johnson is opening the debate for the second reading of the withdrawal agreement bill in the Commons.
The prime minister calls on parliament to come together to get Brexit done and reunite the country by doing so.
This bill should not be seen as a victory for one party or a one faction, Johnson says. “Now is the time to act together,” he says.
Keir Starmer has set out another pitch for the Labour leadership. The shadow Brexit secretary has still not officially confirmed he is running, but an article for Labour List suggests this is very much his plan.
Starmer writes:
Starmer calls for Labour to broaden its appeal and widen its ideological stance.
The Brexit secretary, Steven Barclay, has defended the government’s decision to strip out commitments on workers’ rights from the withdrawal agreement bill.
Speaking on TalkRadio he said:
Barclay also claimed the disbanding of his Department for Exiting the European Union was an “an exciting opportunity in government”.
He said after the department is scrapped former officials will be redeployed to other departments.
Barclay said: “It’s an opportunity actually to pay tribute to the many officials in the department who have built up a massive amount of expertise. And what we can then do is socialise that expertise across Whitehall into the many departments that will be dealing with trade, because all areas of the government will then be involved in the future trade deal.”
Sajid Javid has announced that the head of Financial Conduct Authority, Andrew Bailey, will be the new governor of the Bank of England. The chancellor said he was the “stand out candidate” to succeed Mark Carney. Bailey will take over in March.
Our Business blog has more.
European parliament vice president, Pedro Silva Pereira, said officials in Brussels expect to conclude the ratification process in the European parliament by 29 January.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he said: “We’ve always respected the choice of the British people, but it is true that it was a very long process.”
Asked what kind of trade deal can be negotiated and how “deep” it can be if it is to be completely concluded by the end of 2020, he said: “We have a very short timeframe available.
“Eleven months to negotiate such a complex trade agreement is unprecedented. It is a different situation. We come from a level of economic integration which has no comparison with other trade agreements that we’ve done before.”
He added: “The key issue will be what kind of regulatory dis-alignment we will have. The political declaration that we’ve agreed with the UK envisaged a very ambitious trading relationship with zero tariffs, zero quotas. But this can only be achieved if we ensure some regulatory alignment.”
Boris Johnson is due to open today’s second reading debate on the withdrawal agreement bill at 9.30am.
The Brexit secretary, Steve Barclay, is set to close the debate and MPs are expected to start voting at about 2.30pm.
Barclay’s department is due to be scrapped by the end of January, along with the word “Brexit” if No 10 gets its way.
According to the Huffington Post, the prime minister has ordered officials to drop the term “Brexit” once the Wab passes and the UK leaves the EU on 31 January as planned.
Some shadow cabinet members representing pro-leave seats are understood to have suggested the Labour party should not vote against the Wab in today’s second reading vote.
But the party remains split on Brexit. Labour MP Anneliese Dodds said she is “very concerned” about the bill.
Speaking to the Today programme, she said: “I really don’t feel that it’s really matching up to many of the commitments that were given by previous Conservative governments, and as a result we really have to reject that bill.
“I mean, clearly, with a government majority of the size that it is at the moment, it is likely that it will pass, but I think we’ve got to represent our constituents’ concerns and do at least what we can to make sure these issues are heard.”
After the election there had been speculation that the size of Johnson’s majority meant he might pursue a softer Brexit and and could afford to face down his hardline Eurosceptics.
But a hard version of Brexit is still very much on the agenda following changes set out in the Brexit bill. And the European Research Group (ERG) is delighted.
The Eurosceptic MP Bernard Jenkin said the ERG is “quite happy”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It was the remainers that wrecked Boris Johnson’s ability to get the agreement through parliament. “Every member of the ERG supported Boris Johnson’s agreement, so we’re generally quite happy about how all this is proceeding. It’s a compromise deal.”
Jenkin added: “I’m just reminding myself what was in our manifesto – take back control of our laws, take back control of our money, control our trade policy, introduce an Australian-style points immigration system, raise standards in areas like workers rights, animal welfare, agriculture and the environment, and ensure we’re in full control of our fishing waters. I mean, we’re the manifesto support group now.”
Welcome to Politics Live a week on from the morning the nation woke up to news of Boris Johnson’s thumping election win.
His 80-seat majority means there is no doubt that MPs will pass the withdrawal agreement bill when it comes up for a second reading vote on Friday afternoon. This will be put Johnson’s government on course to meet the election pledge of getting out of the EU by 31 January.
The Brexit Bill set out in Thursday’s Queen’s speech has been greeted with dismay by opposition MPs. It strips out protections for workers’ rights, waters down a commitment to take unaccompanied refugee children from Europe, and removes parliament’s say on the future relationship. It also inserts a ban on the government extending the Brexit transition period beyond the end of 2020.
Meanwhile, the shadow Treasury minister Clive Lewis has declared his candidacy for Labour leader. And Nicola Sturgeon has called for the Scottish parliament to be given permanent powers to hold subsequent referendums on independence from the UK.
