John Baron MP presses Foreign Secretary over EU renegotiations

MP says sovereignty will be the litmus test as to success

Today in the House of Commons John Baron MP pressed the Foreign Secretary as to Government plans to ensure, as part of No 10’s EU renegotiations, that sovereignty is returned to Parliament.

John asked:

“What progress is being made to ensure this Parliament, by itself if necessary, has the ability to say ‘No’ to any unwanted EU Directive, tax or regulation?”

The Foreign Secretary, The Rt. Hon. Philip Hammond MP, said that attempts were being made to ensure that national parliaments collectively could veto unwanted regulation or tax, but that it was unrealistic to expect any single parliament to have the power to do this by itself.

John said afterwards:

“For many of us, sovereignty and jobs are the two most important issues to be addressed as we head into the EU Referendum. We have heard today that there will be no attempt to ensure that our Parliament exercises full sovereignty over its own affairs.”

“Our relationship with the EU must be based on trade and co-operation rather than political union. Some may think we are standing still, but the escalator is only moving in one direction.”

Ends
Word Count: 207
Date: 20th October 2015

Notes to Editors

John led the campaign in the last Parliament for legislation for an EU referendum in this Parliament – having participated in Conservative Backbench rebellions, organised two letters to No. 10 signed by over 100 colleagues, met with the Prime Minister, and tabled an amendment to the Queen’s Speech in 2013 [the first since 1946] regretting the absence of an EU referendum Bill. The policy was finally adopted by the Conservative Party in time for the last General Election. John remains Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for an EU referendum.