John Baron MP presses Prime Minister to embrace WTO

MP: indicative votes are a futile exercise

At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday in the House of Commons, John Baron MP asked Theresa May about a no deal Brexit. In the following indicative votes on Brexit, John’s motion for a no deal / WTO exit was selected by the Speaker, but was defeated. No one option secured a majority. John also voted against the domestic legislation pushing back our Brexit exit date from 29th March.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, John said,

“Most of us would prefer a good deal to no deal at all, but may I urge the Prime Minister to ignore the dire forecasts about what would happen should we leave on World Trade Organisation terms? It is the same people who predicted doom and gloom in 2016 if we voted to leave. Since then, we have had record low unemployment, record high investment and record manufacturing output. Those people were wrong then. They are wrong now. We could be leaving as per the legal default position of Article 50, which is without a deal.”

The Prime Minister responded that she is in favour of Britain striking trade deals with countries around the world after Brexit, including with the EU.

Afterwards, John said,

“Leaving the EU on no deal / WTO terms remains the legal default position. The Prime Minister and the Government have repeatedly stated that we are fully prepared for a no deal exit, and we should take with a pinch of salt the scaremongering over leaving on WTO terms, by which we profitably trade with many countries outside the EU.”

“I continue to oppose the principle of backbenchers wresting control of Commons business, but will nevertheless continue to participate when further such votes take place on April Fools’ Day to ensure all options receive an airing. Vacating the field will only put a spring in the step of remainers.”