I want to send a huge thank you to all the members of the public who – in the street, on the trains and elsewhere as I travelled yesterday – took the time to say they appreciated the spirit of my speech in Parliament on Thursday and the related Today […]
Read MoreFrom my daily briefing: Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will trigger Article 50: delivering on the verdict of the British people to leave the European Union. We stand on the threshold of a significant moment for Britain as we begin the negotiations that will lead us towards a new partnership with […]
Read MoreThe Prime Minister announced at Prime Minister’s Questions this week that the UK will resettle unaccompanied asylum seeking children from Europe. The Government’s focus remains on supporting countries most affected by the continuing migration crisis in the Middle East and North Africa where they think the UK can make the biggest difference and to […]
Read MoreThe Independent reports my reaction to US Secretary of State John Kerry’s intervention in the EU debate: Responding to Mr Kerry’s remarks at the Munich annual security conference the Conservative MP Steve Baker said to the Independent: “I refer Mr Kerry to the US Declaration of Independence. We will do […]
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The EU Tobacco Products Directive looks set to seriously damage the development of the e-cigarette industry. That is likely to diminish the prospects of helping people quit smoking and lead far healthier lives. Researchers from University College London (UCL) have said that: For every million smokers who switched to an e-cigarette we […]
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Yesterday, the House of Commons debated Finance Bill New Clause 7, an amendment to force a negotiation with the EU for a reduction in the 5% VAT rate on sanitary items. The Hansard record of this debate is available here. VAT on tampons and other sanitary products should be zero […]
Read MoreYesterday, the Electoral Commission recommended a change to the question to be put to voters in the referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. The Government is accepting the change. Via the BBC: The Electoral Commission said the wording proposed by ministers – “should the United Kingdom remain a member of […]
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The European Union in all its complexities and controversies is often not well understood. I am therefore publishing today a briefing: Understanding the European Union (PDF). The development of the European Union (EU) is defined by the principle of ever-greater integration expressed in the relevant treaties, notably in the preamble about ‘ever […]
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It has recently been brought to my attention that in 2013, the little known ‘High Level Group on Media Freedom and Pluralism” published a report calling for new regulatory bodies to provide oversight of journalists and publishers across Europe to ensure they act responsibly. The report stated that “Such bodies […]
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The EU Referendum Bill Second Reading debate may be watched again here. Please use the index on the right of that page to jump to individual speeches. It was an historic event. Soon, the British people will have the opportunity to choose between the radical step of European political integration […]
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