Summary

  • MPs debate private members' bills

  • House of Lords sits from 10am

  1. Immigration removal targets 'to be axed'published at 20:34 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    The move comes after Home Secretary Amber Rudd told MPs she had not known they existed.

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  2. Rudd casts doubt on customs union policypublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    The home secretary says there are still "discussions to be had... to arrive at a final position".

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  3. Today in the Commonspublished at 17:33 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    What happened?

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The day kicked off at 9:30am with Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs questions, with MPs' questions on everything from the availability of plastic recycling, to Brexit.

    Commissioner questions confirmed that the House of Commons, for now, is not considering introducing electronic voting, much to the dismay of the SNP benches.

    The urgent question on Home Office removal targets, tabled by shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, changed to an announcement that the Home Office would "scrap" them.

    This urgent question was asked after Ms Rudd told MPs at the Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the department did not use targets, but said today in the Commons that "local" targets for "internal" use had been set.

    There were two ministerial statements, the first announced the government's future plan for an AI sector deal, external, the second announced that 69,000 households had taken advantage of the waiving of stamp duty for first time buyers, external.

    The debate in the Commons this afternoon was on Britain retaining some kind of customs union agreement with the EU. Passionate arguments were heard on both sides, and the House passed the resolution without a vote.

    This means that the government must now speak to the House within three months on what they intend to do about the customs union.

    The Commons will return at 9:30am tomorrow morning for private members' bills.

  4. Government is 'entirely committed' to Good Friday Agreementpublished at 17:13 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customers and Border debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Mel StrideImage source, HoC

    Financial Secretary to the Treasury Mel Stride says that the government will not "undermine" the Good Friday Agreement and remains "entirely committed" to it.

    The government remains "confident of a deal" and so therefore the prospect of a "no deal" remains unlikely, he says.

    He adds that the UK will be able to strike Free Trade Agreements with the rest of the world, which it currently cannot do.

    "When we leave the European Union we will leave its customs union, that is a matter of fact," he says, adding that it is the only way the UK can be independent.

    Yvette Cooper concludes the debate, saying that it has been "excellent", drawing so much expertise from across the UK and in the committee members as well.

    She says "there is no evidence that underpins" the minister's words, and she urges the government to bring forward a "proper debate" for the Commons.

    "It is time for the government to stop running away."

    The motion on the order paper passes unanimously, meaning that the Commons has now formally asked the government to remain in a customs union with the EU. This is the first example of a Liaison Committee motion passing in such a form in Parliament, says Labour's Chris Leslie.

  5. The customs union was supported by Thatcher - Labourpublished at 17:05 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customs and Border Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Peter DowdImage source, HoC

    Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Peter Dowd says that the single market and customs union was something supported by Margaret Thatcher.

    The prime minister "has caused confusion", he says, adding that Labour are "not in the business of keeping Britain in the EU through the back door"; but many MPs are warning of the huge risks to the UK - for problems with supply chains, for example - of leaving the customs union.

    He says that remaining in the EU customs union would allow for continued protections of the UK's workers' rights and other employment rights.

    "Today's debate sends a clear warning to this government that it cannot simply steamroll...members of the House," he adds.

  6. 'Three times the economic crash of 2008 over a 12 year period'published at 16:46 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customs and Border Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Angus MacNeilImage source, HoC

    The SNP's Angus MacNeil says that most people didn't pay attention to what happened at borders.

    "6% damage, or three times the economic crash of 2008 over a 12 year period," he says, referring to the economic impact of Brexit according to government estimates.

    The UK will not have as much control over its trade, he says, and warns that Scotland will be "referendum ready" for the "economic harm the UK is about to inflict on itself".

  7. Zuckerberg faces formal summons from MPspublished at 16:44 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    A parliamentary committee says evidence from Facebook's chief technology officer was unsatisfactory.

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  8. Plan would entirely give up 'control to the EU'published at 16:42 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customs and Border debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Marcus FyshImage source, HoC

    Conservative Marcus Fysh says that the customs union plan "entirely gives up control to the EU".

    The "customs union plan" would weaken the UK's sovereignty, he says, whereas leaving the customs union means "we would be able to make our way independently in the world".

  9. News from Tory leader in Scotlandpublished at 16:38 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

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  10. NI civil servants' Brexit warnings revealedpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    A Stormont document states that a "disorderly exit" from the EU would see a return of "borders of the past".

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  11. 'What a well run Cabinet'published at 16:12 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customs and Border debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tom BrakeImage source, HoC

    Liberal Democrat Exiting the EU Spokesperson Tom Brake says "what a well run Cabinet" referring to the fact that Amber Rudd will not be drawn on leaving the single market and the "Foreign Secretary threatens to resign if we do".

    "Many members have referred to the Irish border, but I think it is a real pity that the secretary of state only went to the Irish border" in the last week, he says.

    He says that "not a single minister" has been to visit the port at Dover to see the impacts could have on leaving.

    "The UK has recently been threatened with a nearly £2bn fine for failing to handle imports at our ports effectively, leading to significant VAT losses in other EU countries," he says.

  12. Healthcare will be impacted from leaving the customs union - Health Committee Chairpublished at 16:10 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customs and Border debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Dr Sarah WollastonImage source, HoC

    The Health Committee Chair, Dr Sarah Wollaston, says that from the "research lab" through to "the pharmacy itself" there is a very complex supply chain.

    "There are around 700,000 diagnostic tests that rely on the availability of radioactive isotopes," she says.

    "We're talking about blood plasma derivatives", and "the supply of dialysis equipment", she adds.

    She says after the Manchester Arena attack there were 500 medical devices which were flown in at very short notice from Belgium to help patients after the incident.

    The cost of generic drugs to the NHS "will go up", she says, and "the unhindered flow" of medical devices is "at risk".

    "I think there will be a huge crunch moment of reality for which the public will never forgive us in this House, if after we leave the European Union, people's drugs and life saving equipment are not available.

    "This is where we are starting to run into Brexit reality," she says.

  13. Border forklift firm creating 200 jobspublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    The County Monaghan manufacturer Combilift draws about 10% of its workforce from Northern Ireland.

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  14. This is a self-imposed 'calamity' - Grievepublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customs and Borer debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Dominic GrieveImage source, HoC

    Conservative Dominic Grieve says that today's debate offers an opportunity to the possible merits "of staying in a customs union".

    He says that a customs union "is not perfect" but the UK would have no control over the rules if it leaves the EU.

    "Just because one imposed one calamity on oneself doesn't mean that one then goes to inflict greater calamities, simply on the basis that one has to do it in order to prove the theory, the mistaken theory, that one has espoused," he says.

    "Every Japanese company will be gone in ten years' time," he says the Japanese Ambassador to the UK has warned if the UK continues in its current track.

    "In any case, free trade agreements come with strings attached," he says.

    "The Irish border is a microcosm of the bigger problem."

    He calls for MPs to start injecting "some realism" into the debate on the customs union.

  15. Rejecting Brexit deal 'in national interest'published at 15:50 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Nicola Sturgeon defends the decision as opponents accuse her of putting her party ahead of the country.

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  16. 'Britain would be reduced' to agreeing to the EUpublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customs and Border debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Simon ClarkImage source, HoC

    "In a customs union, Britain would be reduced to taking whatever deal we were handed by the EU," says Conservative Simon Clark, adding that not having a veto means the UK has no control over the outcomes.

    "There would be no sensible agreement which we could agree with," he adds.

    He says that many people see remaining in the customs union as "a stepping stone" to remaining in the EU.

    "Not leaving the customs union would fatally damage the prospects" of a freeport in the Teesside area, he says.

    He says that the UK is seeking "an ambitious trade agreement both with Europe and with the rest of the world".

  17. We cannot have 'any return to any hard border in Northern Ireland'published at 15:42 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customs and Border debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Owen SmithImage source, HoC

    Labour's Owen Smith thanks Jeremy Corbyn for allowing him to speak "more freely" during this debate. Earlier this year, he was sacked by Mr Corbyn for speaking out in favour of single market and customs union membership.

    "We cannot countenance any return to any hard border in Northern Ireland," he says.

    The Chief Constable of Northern Ireland is warning the UK what a return to a hard border could do, he says, and he adds that this is also a view shared by Northern Irish politicians.

    The view of the OBR, the OECD and of the British government is that the British economy will not grow as fast as it would otherwise because of Brexit, he states.

  18. The 32 Commonwealth countries 'already have free trade agreements with the EU'published at 15:24 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Customs and Border debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Antoinette SandbachImage source, HoC

    Conservative Antoinette Sandbach says that when she voted in the EU Referendum she didn't think a lot about leaving the customs union or rules of origin.

    She says that the International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, wrote an article for the Mail on Sunday in 2012 which said the UK should "renegotiate a new relationship with the European Union, one based on an economic partnership involving a customs union and a single market in goods and services".

    She says she understands the importance of the fishing industry to Ms Murray's constituency of South East Cornwall, but her constituency will be affected by changes in car manufacturing, agriculture, pharmaceutical, energy and food matters.

    "I have to vote in a way" that best serves her constituency, she says.

    The 32 Commonwealth countries frequently referenced by Brexiteers "already have free trade agreements with the EU", she adds.

  19. Rudd clarifies customs union stancepublished at 15:22 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Home secretary tweets

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  20. Rudd customs union comments causing a stirpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    The Times's deputy political editor and Huffington Post's executive editor of politics tweet

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