Committee For Exiting The EU Hears From David Liddington MP

10 Jul 2019

Stephen Kinnock: I want to go back to the cross-party talks. You set out the way that the Government interpreted Labour’s priorities and objectives going into those talks. Do you feel that the Labour side entered those talks in good faith? Mr Lidington: Yes, I do, and not only because…

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No Deal Brexit And Steel Quotas

09 Jul 2019

Stephen Kinnock: I thank my hon. Friend for securing this vital debate. I also pay tribute to him for his absolutely outstanding work as chair of the all-party group on steel and metal-related industries. He shows real leadership in this area. On the subject of the steel quotas, he rightly…

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We Were Promised A Consultation On UKSPF, It’s Unacceptable That This Hasn’t Happened

26 Jun 2019

Stephen Kinnock: I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. Given those regional imbalances and the question of how funding should be spent, is it not completely outrageous and unacceptable that we were promised a consultation on the shape of the shared prosperity fund, which should have started…

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Prime Minister’s Successor Should Re-Table Withdrawal Agreement Bill

24 Jun 2019

Stephen Kinnock: Colleagues on the Labour Benches voted against the Prime Minister’s initial attempts to get a deal through because it was ​essentially a blind Brexit, with very little detail on the future relationship. However, the withdrawal agreement Bill tabled just prior to the European elections was actually full of…

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Committee For Exiting The EU: Examining The Impact Of A No-Deal Departure

12 Jun 2019

Stephen Kinnock: Thank you, gentlemen. Some of the leadership candidates for this Conservative leadership election are using the term “managed no deal”. Mr Barnier has said, “If the UK were to leave the EU without a deal, let me be very, very clear. We would not discuss anything with the…

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Government Must Act So British Steel Industry Can Compete Without One Hand Tied Behind Its Back

11 Jun 2019

Stephen Kinnock: British steel companies pay twice as much as their French competitors for energy and 50% more than German companies. What action will the Government take to enable the British steel industry to compete without having one hand tied behind its back? The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business,…

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Ford Bridgend: This Government Are Like A Driverless Vehicle

10 Jun 2019

Stephen Kinnock: This is a devastating blow for the workforce, many of whom are from my Aberavon constituency. The Secretary of State keeps saying that the situation in other EU countries is also difficult, but none of them has seen investment in the automotive sector drop by 80% in the…

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Will The PM Give Her MPs A Free Vote?

22 May 2019

Stephen Kinnock: The Prime Minister has made it clear that she does not intend to put a commitment to a second referendum on the face of the Bill on Second Reading. In the spirit of compromise, therefore, will she commit to giving her MPs a free vote in Committee when…

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Give The Steel industry The Sector Deal It Urgently Needs

21 May 2019

Stephen Kinnock: It is almost three years to the day since we were battling to save the entire Tata operation throughout the United Kingdom. It beggars belief that we are here having the same conversation and asking the same questions. The fact is that the fundamental problem is that the…

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Busting The ‘Rule Takers’ Myth

15 May 2019

Legal experts appeared before the Committee for Exiting the European Union and I asked them about the notion that being a non-EU member of the European Economic Area would make us rule takers. Stephen Kinnock: Thank you to our panel. I just want to unpack this notion that being a…

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There Is A Fundamental Worry That The SPF Will Become A Politicised Slush Fund

14 May 2019

I’m proud to chair APPG on Post-Brexit Funding and delighted to have taken part in Dan Jarvis MP’s Westminster Hall debate on the Shared Prosperity Fund. I pressed the Government to main the same funding in full, to respect the devolution settlement and to empower communities. I congratulate my hon.…

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Committee for Exiting the EU: Changing Attitudes Within The EU Towards The UK

10 May 2019

As the Committee for Exiting the EU continued its work scrutinising the Brexit negotiations, I asked about how the United Kingdom was being viewed by other European countries. Stephen Kinnock: Good morning. I just wanted to drill down a bit further into what Charles was saying there about changing attitudes…

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Fighting To Ensure That Wales Gets The Regional Investment That It Needs

08 May 2019

I secured a Westminster debate on Regional Development Funding in Wales. The Tory Government seems unable to make guarantees to Aberavon and the rest of Wales about what will replace the £2bn of EU funding from 2020. We need answers! Stephen Kinnock: I beg to move, That this House has…

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Paying Tribute To Steelworkers & Calling For Meeting To Discuss Sector Deal For Steel

02 May 2019

I paid tribute to Tata Steel’s workers & management, and the emergency services for their response to the recent explosion at the Port Talbot works. I was also pleased the Secretary of State, Greg Clark MP, agreed he and Andrew Stephenson will meet our Steel APPG to discuss Steel Sector…

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Steel And EU Emissions Trading Compliance

02 May 2019

To prevent the steel industry facing a new cliff edge at the end of the Brexit transition period, I called on the Government to amend the political declaration on the future relationship to secure a commitment to the Emissions Trading System. Stephen Kinnock: The term “cliff edge” is probably overused,…

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Committee for Exiting the EU Hears About Trade

02 May 2019

As the Committee considered a customs union and our post-Brexit trading relationship, I highlighted that the problem with customs Union without the Single Market is that it wouldn’t deliver free movement of trucks! Border checks can result in 30 hour queues! Turkey used up it’s Austrian permits early, so for…

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There Needs To Be A Viable Leave Option On The Ballot Paper Versus Remain

01 May 2019

During the second round of indicative votes I intervened in the debate to say that if we do have a confirmatory vote then a viable leave option needs to be on the ballot paper. Stephen Kinnock: My right hon. Friend is making an excellent speech, and I agree with her,…

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Single Market Must Be Central To Any Brexit Deal

12 Apr 2019

The Single Market must be central to any Brexit deal: it would mean close economic ties but leaving political union. When I questioned the Prime Minister on the importance of Single Market membership for workers’ rights, the integrity of the union and for the services sector, she suggested there is…

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British Steel Pension Scheme Transfer Debate

11 Apr 2019

Thousands of honest, hardworking steelworkers in my Aberavon constituency and across the country were left exposed to opportunistic and unscrupulous financial advisers. They sought to exploit the steelworkers when they were forced to decide whether to move to the British Steel Pension Scheme 2 or transfer out into another pension…

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Hierarchy Of Chaos

09 Apr 2019

The chaos that has been unleashed by the Government’s handling of Brexit has been laid bare for all to see, so in the Commons chamber I challenged the Tories on the way their voted during the indicative votes. Stephen Kinnock: Given that Conservative MPs voted en masse against just about everything…

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Indicative Votes: Common Market 2.0

28 Mar 2019

When Parliament had it’s opportunity to debate alternative Brexit deals, I set out the arguments for Common Market 2.0 in the House, as lead sponsor of the amendment. Common Market 2.0 brings together Leavers and Remainers, and three different parties. Common Market 2.0 can get us out of this crisis and…

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