Investment and the UK Economy
11. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet
colleagues on the effect of the ongoing negotiations for
the UK leaving the EU on investment and the UK
economy. [909498]
The Secretary of State has regular conversations with
Cabinet colleagues on all aspects of our EU exit. The UK
remains a great place to do business. Only
yesterday, Ineosannounced £1 billion-worth of
investments in the UK oil and chemical industries,
something I am sure the hon. Gentleman is about to welcome
wholeheartedly.
Yesterday, I met the Cheshire and Warrington local
enterprise partnership, which told me how the Government’s
prolonged approach to Brexit negotiations was already
having a major effect on business decisions in our
locality—this is a concern spread right across the UK. Will
the Government act now to protect jobs in my constituency
and elsewhere? Will they remove those red lines and
negotiate a customs union, close ties with the single
market and proper protection for workers?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I think he can
probably guess part of the answer: the best way to do those
things that he wants is to vote for the deal. May I gently
remind him of something he tweeted in June last year? He
wrote:
“I campaigned & voted to remain. As much as I don’t
like the result of the referendum, as a democrat I have to
respect it.”
He should do so.
