A former cabinet minister has raised concerns that an important post-Brexit body has been hijacked by Rejoiners who want to undermine Britain’s independent status.
Former Leader of the House Dame Andrea Leadsom voiced her worries about the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) during trade and business questions in the Commons today.
The PPA was set up to foster cooperation and trade between Britain and the EU and reflect Britain’s Brexit status.
Her intervention came in a session where more than a dozen SNP, Labour and Lib Dem MPs bemoaned Brexit and tried to claim it was damaging the country.
But Dame Andrea warned that the whining from Opposition Remoaners is also reflected in the meetings of the PPA.
Dame Andrea asked: “Does [the minister] agree with me that those who are delegates to the PPA , which was set up with the trade and cooperation agreement with the EU, should be there to promote Britain’s interests overseas?
“And those who don’t mean to do so, who simply want to apologise for Brexit and to act against the UK’s interest should leave the PPA?”
Trade minister Kevin Hollinrake said that Dame Andrea “raised an extremely important point”.
He went on: “The PPA was created as part of the trade agreement is a Parliamentary body which is independent of government.
“The government values its work and its role in supporting shared values with the EU.
“But certainly she is right that it should look forward not back.”
The Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) is composed of a delegation of UK Members of Parliament meeting together with a delegation of Members of the European Parliament.
It was established under the terms of the 2021 Trade and Co-operation Agreement and acts as a forum for parliamentarians to exchange views on the implementation and operation of the Agreement.
The Agreement established a Partnership Council as a joint UK-EU body which will inform the PPA of its decisions and recommendations.
The PPA may make recommendations to the Partnership Council.
Sir Oliver Heald KC MP was appointed Leader of the UK Delegation and co-chair of the assembly while the Earl of Kinnoull and Rejoiner Labour MP Hilary Benn were appointed vice chairs of the delegation.
