On 1st March 2017 the House of Lords considered the Government’s EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill in its second day of committee. An amendment was tabled by Labour Peer Baroness Hayter, requiring Ministers to bring forward proposals for guaranteeing continued rights for EU nationals residing in the UK, no more than three months after the formal negotiations to exit the EU had begun. The Archbishop of York, Most Revd and Rt Hon John Sentamu, argued against the amendment on the grounds that this was the wrong vehicle to address such serious and important matters. They would, he said, be better and more speedily dealt with if they were not enshrined in legislation that had the single purpose of giving Government authority to begin the Article 50 negotiation process. Peers voted t back the amendment in the subsequent vote.The Archbishop’s speech is in full below, followed by excerpts from some of the speeches that referred to his remarks:
The Archbishop of York: My Lords, Uganda was referred to by the noble Viscount, Lord Hailsham. It was regrettable that Idi Amin kicked out two types of Asians—British citizens and Ugandan citizens. My opposition to him was over the Ugandan citizens, who were the largest number. He kicked them out and my coming here in 1974 was as a result of my opposition to such behaviour. So I know how minorities can feel in a place. I know that we need to reassure our European friends who are resident here and want to remain here.
However, I have one great difficulty. Your Lordships’ House can scrutinise and revise legislation, but this simple Bill is simply to confer power on the Prime Minister to notify under Article 50 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union that there is an intention to withdraw. It is giving her the power which I believe only Parliament—not the royal prerogative—can give her. Continue reading “EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill: Archbishop of York supports protecting rights of EU nationals, opposes amendment as vehicle to deliver”
On 1st March 2017, the Bishop of St Albans asked a follow up question to Lord Kennedy of Southwark’s oral question on business rates. Lord Kennedy asked what action the government proposed to take in light of concerns expressed about the increases in business rates.
On 28th February, Lord Alton of Liverpool asked the Government, in the light of the sanctions imposed by China against North Korea following the assassination of Kim Jong-nam and the recent ballistic missile test, whether they will call in the North Korean Ambassador. The Bishop of Peterborough, the Rt Revd Donald Allister, asked a follow up question about the Government’s engagement with China over their policy to return North Korean refugees to the country. 
On 27th February 2017, Labour Peer Baroness Quin moved an amendment to the Government’s EU (Notification of Withdrawl) Bill, requiring Government to undertake an impact assessment of the impact of Brexit on the North-East of England. The Bishop of Newcastle, the Rt Revd Christine Hardman, spoke to the amendment to highlight the contribution of Newcastle University to the North-East economy. The amendment was later withdrawn after debate.
On Monday 27th February 2017, the Bishop of Newcastle, the Rt Revd Christine Hardman, paid tribute on behalf of the BIshops’ Benches to Lord Waddington, the former Leader of the House, who had died the previous week.
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