John Baron MP will be supporting amendments to today’s Taxation Bill

MP: Questions Remain Unanswered

Having received a response from the Civil Service to his ‘three questions’ [please see John’s earlier press release, ‘John Baron MP: Three Questions that will not go away’, 11th July], John Baron MP believes key questions remain unanswered or ambiguous as regards the Chequers Agreement – especially as regards the ‘Common Rule Book’ and the extent to which this may affect our ability to agree trade deals with non-EU countries – and therefore will be supporting amendments to the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill this afternoon.

John said,

“I have remained loyal to Theresa May, believing her to be honourable in her attempt to respect the referendum result. I have played my part to seek consensus for a clean Brexit. However, having examined the Chequers Agreement and been unable to obtain adequate answers to three simple questions, I have come to the conclusion that it does not respect the referendum result – it is not what people voted for.”

“The Chequers Agreement would make us a ‘rule-taker’ without any influence as to their construction, would hinder our ability to negotiate trade deals with the faster-growing countries outside the EU, and the ‘Mobility Framework’ seems no different from ‘Freedom of Movement’. The Government now needs to reconsider its EU negotiating policy, and I will be supporting the amendments to the Taxation Bill this afternoon. These should give the Government pause for thought as our position evolves.”

Notes to Editors:

• The four amendments John will be supporting are: 72, 73, New Clause 36, and New Clause 37. It will be up to Mr Speaker whether these amendments will be selected for debate and voting this afternoon.
• Amendment 72 would require any form of customs union to be established by primary legislation – not via secondary legislation with less Parliamentary scrutiny.
• Amendment 73 would ensure that the UK could not join the EU’s VAT régime.
• New Clause 36 would prevent the UK from collecting tariffs on behalf of the EU unless the EU also agrees to collect them for the UK – something which is unlikely the EU would agree to.
• New Clause 37 would prevent an internal border between Northern Ireland and the island of Great Britain.