Verbatim report of proceedings

Thursday, 28 November 2019 - Strasbourg

9.9. Crisis of the WTO Appellate Body (B9-0181/2019)

Oral explanations of vote

  Jude Kirton-Darling (S&D). – Madam President, I voted in favour, as for many Brexiteers the WTO has become the land of milk and honey, with Donald Trump in the role of Moses, leading the British people to the promised land of global free trade. But what their story doesn’t say is that Trump has been busy destroying the WTO for the past three years, and he’s about to succeed. Because of the US, the WTO will effectively cease to function in exactly two weeks’ time. Another example of the many lies used to justify Brexit to the British people.

The truth is that from the perspective of international trade, the EU is by far the best option for Britain. Only the EU can resolve this situation and get the WTO up and running again. We’ve seen determined and concrete efforts in Brussels to keep UK—exporting businesses afloat. What we get from the Tories is myth and rhetoric.