No Deal Is No Option

21 Feb 2018

In a Westminster Hall debate on alternatives to a no-deal outcome in negotiations with the EU, I argued that a no deal is not an option and that we should push for an EEA/EFTA Brexit. Stephen Kinnock:  Thank you Mr Sharma, and thank you to the Hon Member for Eddisbury…

Read more →

Immigration Minister Appears In Front Of EU Scrutiny Committee

20 Feb 2018

The Immigration Minister appeared in front of the EU Scrutiny Committee and I questioned her about the way the government and Prime Minister have contradicted themselves on transition and immigration, explaining how this shows that they are more interested in posturing than they are in negotiating a Brexit that works for Britain…

Read more →

EU And EEA Member States

12 Feb 2018

The Committee On Exiting The European Union looked at the relationship between the EU, Norway and the European Economic Area. Appearing in front of the Committee was Professor Alla Pozdnakova, University of Oslo Law Faculty; Ulf Sverdrup, Director, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs;  and Professor George Yarrow, Chair of the Regulatory…

Read more →

European Free Trade Association

08 Feb 2018

A debate was held in Westminster Hall on the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). In the debate I called for an EEA EFTA Brexit, a deal that can reunite the country and give a voice to the silent majority with a Brexit that lets us take back control and protects…

Read more →

EEA and Swiss Model

06 Feb 2018

As part of its work scrutinising the Brexit negotiations and the UK’s relationship with the EU once we have left, the Committee for Exiting the EU looked at the EU’s relationship with Switzerland. In the session I concentrated on how the movement of people works for the Swiss. Stephen Kinnock:…

Read more →

Parliamentarians Requesting Information Are Not Betraying Our Country, We Are Simply Trying To Do Our Job And Stand Up For Our Constituents

01 Feb 2018

In the House of Commons Chamber I called for the Government to release the Brexit impact papers, a common sense EEA/EFTA Brexit and a new kind of politics. The debate was an important moment where the government were forced into releasing the Brexit impact papers. It is vital we have…

Read more →

EU Association Agreements

31 Jan 2018

After looking in to the CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) negotiations and agreement, the Committee for Exiting the EU have been looking at the EU’s Association Agreements, which create a framework for co-operation between the EU and non-EU countries. Representatives from Georgia and the Ukraine appeared before the committee…

Read more →

My Question About The Brexit Implementation Period

30 Jan 2018

I questioned the Brexit Minister about the nature of the Brexit transition period. The response I had was sad and pathetic, where the Minister tried to impugn my motives. Stephen Kinnock: Paragraph 17 of the directives for the negotiating team states clearly that “any time-limited prolongation of the Union acquis…

Read more →

Creation Of BSPS2 Created Fertile Territory For Unscrupulous Pension Advisers To Swoop In Like Vultures And Exploit Vulnerable People

23 Jan 2018

My colleague, Debbie Abrahams, secured an urgent question in the House on stopping the abuse of private sector pensions. I spoke in the debate on how the creation of the British Steel pension scheme mark 2 created fertile ground for unscrupulous pension advisers to prey on vulnerable people. Stephen Kinnock: The…

Read more →

Brexit Committee Hears Evidence In Cambridge

23 Jan 2018

The Committee for Exiting the EU met in Cambridge and heard evidence from Professor Greg Hannon, Director, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute; Professor Eilís Ferran, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Institutional International Relations, Cambridge University; Dr Andy Williams, Vice-President of Research & Development, MedImmune and Cambridge Transition Team Leader, AstraZeneca; and Michael…

Read more →

Financial Guidance And Claims Bill Should Take Steps To Improve The Early Warning System So Regulators Can Be More Proactive

22 Jan 2018

Today the Commons debated the Financial Guidance and Claims Bill (Lords). In the debate I spoke about the lessons we need to learn from the transfer of the British Steel pension scheme into a new scheme, and the need for an early warning system so the regulator can be more…

Read more →

EEA-Based Brexit Is The Only Viable Option For Our Country

17 Jan 2018

During questions to the Treasury I called for an EEA based Brexit, because it is the only Brexit deal that would cover services, which accounts for 80% of the UK economy. Stephen Kinnock: What assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK leaving the European Economic Area…

Read more →

Government’s Refusal To Include Charter of Fundamental Rights Strips Us Of Vital Civil And Workplace Rights And Protections

17 Jan 2018

During the debate on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, I exposed the lie at the heart of the Tory Bill. They claim the Bill is about transferring EU law into UK law to facilitate Brexit, but by refusing to include the Charter of Fundamental Rights it is clear that this is…

Read more →

Carillion Is A Textbook Example Of The Privatisation Of Profit And The Socialisation Of Risk

16 Jan 2018

During a Government statement on Carillion I questioned the Cabinet Office Minister, saying that the Carillion collapse shows that it is time for us to impose a windfall tax on these kind of companies who are taking taxpayers for a ride to the tune of billions of pounds. Government must…

Read more →

Trade Bill Debate

10 Jan 2018

As Parliament debated Trade Bill I intervened and said that Government needs to amend the Bill to give unions, business and the devolved governments a say in the kind of trade defence and trade policies that we purse. It is vital we have a proper process to secure best deals…

Read more →

Committee For Exiting The European Union Hears From International Relations Experts

10 Jan 2018

Today, Professor Richard Whitman, Head of School, Professor Politics and International Relations, University of Kent; Fredrik Erixon, Director, European Centre for International Political Economy; and Dr Stephen Woolcock, Associate Professor in International Relations, London School of Economics, all appeared before the Committee for Exiting the European Union. I took the opportunity…

Read more →

Taxation Cross-Border Trade Bill, If Passed In Its Current Form, Would Fatally Undermine The British Manufacturing Sector

09 Jan 2018

As Parliament reconvened after the Christmas recess we hit the ground running with the Taxation (Cross-border) Trade Bill. This seeks to establish a new post-Brexit trade defence regime, but as I said in my speech in the House, in it’s current form it would fatally undermine the British manufacturing sector, including…

Read more →

It Is Our Duty As Parliamentarians To Express The Mind Of The People On All Matters

20 Dec 2017

In one of the last debates before Christmas, I spoke in favour of Amendment 43 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill which would give Parliament the power to control the length and basic terms of transitional arrangements, and would allow Parliament to start the clock on the sunset clauses within…

Read more →

Jurisdiction Of European Court Of Justice Will Apply In Precisely The Same Way Now As It Will During The Transition Period

19 Dec 2017

As the Prime Minister returned to the House to update us on her meeting with the European Council I asked her about the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. The Prime Minister confirmed what we already knew, that transition would mean everything staying the same, only without us having…

Read more →

Steel Sector Deal Debate

19 Dec 2017

I secured a debate in Westminster Hall on a steel sector deal. In the debate I argued that we need the government to approve the steel sector deal & radically reshape the energy market, but they have done nothing. This is about defending our communities & building a successful industrial strategy,…

Read more →

Parliament To Take Back Control With A Meaningful Vote On The Brexit Deal

14 Dec 2017

On the night the Government lost a vote on Brexit in the House, I spoke in favour of the amendment tabled by Dominic Grieve MP. It is vital that Parliament has meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal and the opportunity to send the government back to secure a better…

Read more →