Priti Patel, Secretary of State for International Development, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said: (Check against delivery) “Conference, good afternoon. Britain has always been a bold and confident nation. We are unafraid to stand up for what … read more
David Davis MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, speaking today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester said: (Check against delivery) “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a great pleasure to be here in this great City, a city … read more
3 October 2017
The UKs Green MEPs have responded to today’s overwhelming vote in favour of a resolution on Brexit in the European Parliament [1]. Of 678 MEPs present, 82% voted for the resolution, with only 14% voting against and 4% abstaining. A number of amendments tabled by UKIP were all rejected.
Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, said:
“This level of unity in the European Parliament both between political groups and also with the other EU institutions is unprecedented. MEPs have sent a clear message that in all the three key areas of citizens’ rights, a financial settlement and the question of the Irish border there has been insufficient progress for talks to move on to the next phase.”
Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, said:
“The European Union is a family founded on the principle of peace and solidarity and in that vein, we’ve seen the European Parliament come together today to show unshakeable unity on Brexit – yet again.
“MEPs are in wide agreement about the Tory government’s lack of progress in the Brexit negotiations. The split cabinet might have just about agreed to kick the Brexit can down the road, with a two-year transition, but there’s still no coherent plan and the ‘cake and eat it’ approach is very much in evidence – they’re in la-la land while the EU27 are in the real world.”
Speaking in a debate ahead of today’s vote [2], Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP for the South West, said:
“Theresa May said that the United Kingdom has never felt totally at home in the European Union. Personally, I have never felt less at home in the UK since the vote to leave the EU.
“Such a sentiment is echoed by many people: by the majority of young people who still consider themselves European; by people living in our diverse and multicultural cities; and, of course, by those European citizens who have chosen, for reasons of love, work or study, to make the UK their home.
“If Brexit is a divorce then we are the children of the divorce and the process is a painful and troubling one.”
Ends
Notes
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5tlZlvQ4s0
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Kate Osamor MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, responding to Priti Patel’s speech to Conservative Party Conference, said:
“Priti Patel’s speech was incredibly thin on substance.
“She made no commitments to better resource and staff DFID so it can properly oversee private sector contractors or to ensure other government departments actually raise their game and fix the cross-government aid spending chaos. Priti Patel implied she will seek to change the international aid rules in October to divert Official Development Assistance meant for the world’s poorest to “British citizens in our British territories”, instead of funding the territories’ Hurricane Irma recovery from across Whitehall.
“Labour will continue to spend 0.7 per cent of gross national income on overseas development assistance, and develop a targeted development agenda to tackle global inequality and poverty, to build a world that works for the many, not the few.“
“David Davis’ damp squib of a speech has offered nothing new on how the Government intends to break the impasse in Brexit negotiations and deliver a new progressive partnership with the EU.
“On the day the European Parliament voted to delay future trade talks with Britain, it is now clear that Tory infighting is harming the Brexit process. Paralysis in the negotiations risks havoc for the British economy and uncertainty for EU and UK citizens.
“Theresa May must use her speech tomorrow to finally face down the fantasy Brexiteers in her party and put the national interest first. If she is unwilling to do so, Labour stands ready to take charge of the negotiations and deliver a jobs-first Brexit deal that works for the many not the few.”
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