EU Exit Negotiations

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:40 pm on 5 December 2017.

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Photo of David Davis David Davis The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union 12:40, 5 December 2017

Of course the referendum question was a short question, but it was a very long campaign. In that campaign, both sides made it plain that being outside the union meant being outside the customs union and outside the single market. Both sides made that plain and, if need be, I can point the right hon. Gentleman to the television programmes on which that was said. I have explained to the House that regulatory alignment is not harmonisation. It is a question of ensuring similar outcomes in areas where we want to have trade relationships and free and frictionless trade. Anything we agree for Northern Ireland in that respect, if we get our free trade area, will apply to the whole country.