Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Future Relationship with the EU

Thursday 11 June 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The negotiating team size for the UK-EU future relationship will not be changed.
  • The Minister compared the negotiating team to Eric Morecambe's description of Ernie Wise as "small and perfectly formed".
  • The Minister declined to comment further on the concerns raised about the Secretary of State's performance before the Committee.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Barry Sheerman Lab Huddersfield
Brexit
Context

Sheerman inquires about potential changes to the negotiation team size working on future relationships with the EU.

Question

What plans do you have to change the size and strength of the negotiating team working on the future relationship between the UK and the EU?

Answer from The Prime Minister (Michael Gove)

We have no plans to change the size of the negotiating team working on the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. As Eric Morecambe said of Ernie Wise, it is “small and perfectly formed”.

Answered
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Q2 Barry Sheerman Lab Huddersfield
Brexit Democracy & Elections
Context

Sheerman expresses concern over the effectiveness of the UK's negotiation team leader, suggesting a possible rift with the PM due to the latter's lack of detail focus.

Question

Some of us on the Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union are very worried about the Secretary of State. He was very lacklustre when he gave evidence to the Committee recently, and we are very sympathetic. This is a tough job. In reality, we have only five months to get it right for the country. Is it not a fact that there is a rift between him and the Prime Minister? The Prime Minister is not good on detail. There is a rift between them—does he need more help to overcome that?

Answer from The Prime Minister (Michael Gove)

I am always grateful to the hon. Gentleman for offering to step in as a marriage counsellor. I have to say, notwithstanding my earlier reference to Morecambe and Wise, that the Prime Minister and I, when it comes to everything, are like the two Ronnies, so it's goodnight from me and it's goodnight from him.

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