There can be honourable disagreements and i have had disagreements and i have had disagreements with each and every one of them. All of them. That has led to many votes in this house which havent always been entered into with the certainty of the outcome more effectively, but both sides have always done so safe in the knowledge that this parliament is sovereign. That this parliament can act as an effective block on any abuse of power. Therefore today i am urging allmps abuse of power. Therefore today i am urging all mps from all sides to stand up for what is right, to stand up stand up for what is right, to stand upfor stand up for what is right, to stand up for what you believe in and support this cross party move. |i thank my right honourable friend. Does my right honourable friend agree that if we are to trust the Prime Minister that a deal is on site, he would do all he could to show evidence of the progress he has made in negotiations over the summer and publish the government proposals . I think my friend makes a very pertinent point because in the six weeks or so since the Prime Minister took office, apparently no proposals have been put to the European Union, there has been no substantive negotiations, and he keeps talking about the possibility of progress being made. One would have thought he had something practical to report to this house by this stage and so far. As a motion comes forward in the week for a general election in october, will he vote for it, yes or no . We are ready for a general election, we are ready to ta ke for a general election, we are ready to take on this government and when a general election to end austerity and poverty across this country. Just look. Mr speaker, just look at what we face. A government determined to subvert the democratic process , determined to subvert the democratic process, to force through a policy which a majority of this house does not support, which has been defeated emphatically twice in this house. We face a government so determined to continue on its reckless path, they are willing to use every trick in the book and find every loophole to try and silence this house. We cannot stand idly by. In 2015, i think i am correct in saying that the leader of the opposition voted for the referendum. That he mean to abide by what the referendum came forward with . Yes, the labour opposition supported the referendum, we took part in the referendum campaign, we also made it very clear in the general election that we would not countenance a new audio exit from the European Union because of the damage it would do. No deal exit. We cannot hope for another opportunity down the line to stop this governments destructive cause. There is no more time, this is our last opportunity and today, mr speaker, we must act. Thank you for giving way. Many constituents of mine in midlothian have contacted me, very worried about the grave danger of me, very worried about the grave dangerofa me, very worried about the grave danger of a new deal brexit and the effect that would happen. Can you give account of what will happen to people across the country in the event of a no deal brexit. People across the country in the event of a no deal brexitlj people across the country in the event of a nodeal brexit. I was in scotla nd event of a nodeal brexit. I was in scotland and we heard concerns from many people about no deal brexit, particularly those who trade extensively with europe, about the damage it will do to their businesses and the jobs that go with. He says he wants to avoid no deal, but three times he has voted against the deal. Exactly what changes to the Withdrawal Agreement with you like to see if he will ever vote for it . I thinki am right in saying on two occasions i voted alongside the Prime Minister against those deals as well. Mr speaker, i understand that mike i will give way later on. I understand there are people from both sides of the house under a great deal of pressure and what is regrettably an extremely volatile political climate. But if you truly trust in what all the analysis shows, including the governments loan analysis as was demonstrated earlier, if you believe in what the experts say and if you understand that no deal brexit will be disastrous for this country then you must act now. With that in mind i want to pay tribute to those who have showed the political courage to boldly stand up for what they believe and to bring this debate to the house. The bullying and the threats to mps opposite from their own sides is unprecedented. Let me just offer. It is all right, i am trying to help you. Let me offer some words of encouragement. Standing by your principles doesnt a lwa ys standing by your principles doesnt always damage your future prospects. Cani always damage your future prospects. Can i suggest that he is careful with his selection of evidence. The treasury, the imf, the bank of england all made predictions of doom and gloom if we voted to leave in 2016, they said there would be Economic Disaster by christmas 2016. They were all wrong. What has happened since as record unemployment, record manufacturing and record investment in the full knowledge that no deal is better thana knowledge that no deal is better than a bad deal. I thank the member for that intervention, the only problem as it flies in the face of all facts as they are published they n and day the value of the pound is falling, manufacturing and industry is falling and they will come onto other industries cd at the outset. I also pay tribute to those people across all parties who have come together and continue to work to make a stand against this governments reckless and shambolic approach. The Prime Minister says no it is not the time for parliament to make the stand. He says the chances ofa make the stand. He says the chances of a brexit deal are improving and that the outlines of an agreement are in the making. Yet all the evidence points to the contrary. So far, and six weeks in office, this government has spent more time trying to avoid scrutiny and trying to silence parliament than focusing on getting a good dealfor this country. And with weeks to go until we crash out of the European Union, they have failed to bring forward any new proposals, especially with regard to the irish backstop. Even if they had worked up new plans are presented in a way forward, it seems very unlikely the eu would have agreed to the Prime Ministers red line of scrapping the attorney general reportedly put it, such a proposition would be a complete fa ntasy. Proposition would be a complete fantasy. The reality as there has been no progress made in brussels nor is there likely to be. This reckless government only has one plan, to crash out of the eu without a deal at whatever price to our industry, the peoplesjobs and a deal at whatever price to our industry, the peoples jobs and the peoples Living Standards. I have given way many times on that side and will continue. And that is why so and will continue. And that is why so many people across this house will stand up to say no to no deal. It has been exposed today, as reported in the telegraph, which says the Prime Ministers chief of staff called negotiations a sham, and the real strategy was to run down the clock. That is why it is incumbent on us as members of parliament to act today. Voting to block no deal will not kill the positive momentum in brexit negotiations because there is no momentum in the brexit negotiations to kill what we are asking mps today to do is rule out playing russian roulette with this countrys future. With that industry, with our National Health service and with peoples jobs and livelihoods all at sta ke for peoples jobs and livelihoods all at stake for they are trying to retain power. Lets not forget what no deal means for this country. No deal will decimate our manufacturing industry. No deal will destroy their agricultural sector. I am sure my honourable friend knows that the we st honourable friend knows that the West Midlands group of mps have had lots of consultations, and a meeting tomorrow, with businesses in the we st tomorrow, with businesses in the West Midlands because they are concerned about the implications of no deal. My honourable friend not agree it is imperative we get a proper deal to safeguard the millions ofjobs proper deal to safeguard the millions of jobs up proper deal to safeguard the millions ofjobs up and down the country . Indeed, my friend is right, the West Midlands will be particularly ha rd the West Midlands will be particularly hard hit because so much of its industry relies on just in time deliveries from the continent as well as exports to them and the manufacturing process that any interruption process happens whatsoever there is chaos immediately at the point of production as well as the transport system which supplies those places. There has to be some realistic understanding in the south of the implications of a no deal brexit on the West Midlands as well as on other parts of this country. I have given way many times to many people and given way many times to many people and i am sure the honourable member will make a wonderful contribution when he gets to make his speech. No deal threatens peace and stability in Northern Ireland and threatens our policing and counterterrorism operation with europe. No deal will mean Food Shortages and medical shortages and that will bring chaos to our airports and transport networks. When earlier on we had a minister at the dispatch box proudly telling us that 1000 more staff had been employed in order to deal with congestion that will be happening at the channel port. Isnt that an indication of the governments own admission of what the problems will be for leaving with no deal. Our economy is already fragile. The economy is already fragile. The economy contracted in the last quarter. Manufacturing has contracted that the fastest pace for seven contracted that the fastest pace for seve n yea rs contracted that the fastest pace for seven years and contracted that the fastest pace for seven years and no contracted that the fastest pace for seven years and no deal with accelerate that decline. Now is not the time to play russian roulette with our economy. These are the warnings of some ultra remaining group. These are the warnings outlined in the governments own assessment and the warnings of industrys leading figures. You dont have to take my word for it, instead listen to the likes of make uk, who represent 20,000 uk manufacturing companies, who have said leaving without a deal would be, and said leaving without a deal would be, and i quote, the height of economic lunacy. Listen to the National Farmers union which said a no deal worth, and i quote, have a devastating impact on british food and farming and must be avoided at all and farming and must be avoided at a ll costs. And farming and must be avoided at all costs. Our lesson to the british medical association, which has made it clear, and again i quote, the consequences of no deal could have potentially catastrophic consequences for patients. The Health Workforce and services and the nations health. We must listen to what every sector of society is telling us regarding the damage of a no deal brexit, and what it will do to our society and our economy. If we asa to our society and our economy. If we as a parliament do not make the stand today, there may not be another opportunity. It may simply be too late. We must listen to those warnings. If people in the house no better than the bma, the nfu, uk about their own sectors, or know better than the trade unions represent people who work in those parts and facilities all over the country, they should say so now. I have met trade unionists all over the country and spoken to the tuc. They are all deeply worried about the continued job losses in manufacturing because of the uncertainty that no deal will bring. I understand there will be some concerns regarding the potential bell which may follow this debate. Some concern from members across the house that supporting such a bill would be an attempt to block brexit or reverse would be an attempt to block brexit or reverse the results of the 2016 referendum. That is actually not the case. This bill does not close other options to resolving the brexit pass. This bill is about preventing a damaging no deal with which this government has no mandate for and for which there is very little public support. The bill is designed purely to provide vital breathing space to find an alternative way through the brexit mess this and the previous government have created. Today, mr speaker, is another historic day in parliament. It is our chance to seize this last opportunity, to stand up to a bullying government that has shown itself ready to dodge scrutiny and silence debate. If we do not act today, we may not get another chance. Whether people voted leave or remain, they didnt vote to shutdown democracy as the very large numbers of people who are on the streets last saturday from both leave and remain the views were very concerned about the way in which this government is trying to shut down debate, shutdown democracy, and lead to assent to what i believe would be the problems of a no deal brexit. So, mr speaker, iurge would be the problems of a no deal brexit. So, mr speaker, i urge all mps today to do what they believe to be right for their constituents, they arejobs, their be right for their constituents, they are jobs, their Living Standards and their communities and support this proposal today that we may debate the bill tomorrow and prevent a no deal brexit with all the damage this would do to our community and our society. The leader of the house, mrjacob rees mogg. Leader of the house, mrjacob reesmogg. Thank you, mr speaker, and it is a pleasure to be speaking in this debate brought to us by the right honourable gentleman the memberfor right honourable gentleman the member for dorset western to follow the leader of her majestys opposition. The Prime Minister has said including in a statement earlier this government is absolutely committed to delivering brexit on 31st october. We must deliver the largest democratic mandate in the nations history. Delivering the referendum result requires this house to respect the voice of the people as expressed in that historic vote and so far of the house has failed to do so. And now, instead of backing the Prime Ministerand giving him instead of backing the Prime Minister and giving him the best possible chance of securing a deal before the uk leaves the European Union on 31st october, we find ourselves debating a proposition that seeks to confound the referendum result again. Mr speaker, i wish to be clear, what is proposed todayis i wish to be clear, what is proposed today is constitutionally a regular. Regular. Today is constitutionally a regular. Regular. Could i remind the house, how many times that he vote against the deal . The deal is dreadful, it is why the Prime Minister is getting a better one if only the house would let him. This is irregular both in terms of the subversion of parliaments proper role in scrutinising an executive. I give way. Thank you, mr speaker. Iron are mostly grateful to the right honourable gentleman for allowing me to intervene upon him. He will know the importance of the good friday agreement to the people of Northern Ireland, and he will also know, as a unionist, that without a deal that will be an inevitable hardening of the border between the republic of ireland and Northern Ireland. Which will incentivise sinn fein to advocate for the border poll to take Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom and then to the republic of ireland toa and then to the republic of ireland to a united ireland. How on earth could be right honourable gentleman defend the indefensible . Because i simply disagree with the honourable lady, but there would have to be a political desire to impose a hardboard that political desire to impose a ha rdboa rd that and political desire to impose a hardboard that and neither United Kingdom nor the republic of ireland government has such a desire. |j thank the right honourable gentleman for giving way and i have a fondness for giving way and i have a fondness for him from time at the Committee Years ago. What is constitutionally irregular shutting down parliament, shutting down debate on shutting down the ability of mps to hold this government to account. Can the right honourable gentleman tell me when it was he became aware of the payments ares planned to shut down parliament in order to force down a no deal brexit because papers today suggest it was the plan on 16th august . As parliament has not been shut down i could not be aware of plans to do something which is not happening. My right honourable friend will be aware that the majority of members, colleagues, voting against the government tonight voted to trigger article 50, which said that we would leave the eu with or without a deal. It was very simple and very clear. Which bit does he think they know dont understand . I think they dont like losing referendums and they never accepted it but i must come back to the constitutional issue. Because this motion risks subverting parliaments proper role in scrutinising an executive initiating and you particularly, mr speaker, have a great responsibility of which iam sure have a great responsibility of which i am sure you are well aware, to uphold the norms and conventions which underpin our constitution, but we all have a role to play and it does considerable damage when some of us choose to subvert rather than reinforce , of us choose to subvert rather than reinforce, to handle rather than to polish our constitution. |j reinforce, to handle rather than to polish our constitution. I thank the leader of the house are giving away and he is talking about the subversion of democracy. Im going to ask very clearly, on what date did you first become awa