Wera Successfully Amends Trade Bill

17 July 2018

Wera Hobhouse MP has welcomed the Government accepting two of her amendments to the Trade Bill, which will be debated in the House of Commons today.

As the Government desperately tries to convince the EU’s trading partners to convert their trade deals into agreements with the UK, Ministers have finally promised to give Parliament a vote to approve any changes in the law that those agreements require.

However, Liam Fox yesterday confirmed that MPs will have no power to set the Government’s negotiating mandate for future trade deals and will have no guaranteed vote to ratify the final text.

Wera Hobhouse said:

“Outside of the European Union, UK trade negotiators will have a much weaker bargaining position. But if they ever succeed in striking deals with the EU’s trading partners, it’s vital that the Government doesn’t go around eroding our food and product safety standards by the back door. These amendments will ensure that MPs get the final say if the law is changed. But it’s only a yes or no, take it or leave it vote."

"It’s far from ideal. If the Tories think Brexit is really about Parliament taking back control, then they should let MPs sign off the Government’s negotiating mandate and the text of any final trade deal. Now Liam Fox has announced they won’t let us do either."

"Theresa May and the Conservatives are making such a mess of Brexit that we shouldn’t also be giving them a free hand to decide our trading relationships with every other country."