Stephen Gethins MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 15 Apr 2026 · Energy Prices · Hansard source

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  Right there, we see the alignment of Labour and Reform. Labour’s Brexit isolationism has taken us away from Europe and away from our key markets. Independent Ireland—European Ireland—has announced a €700 million support package, yet Scotland, which has given £350 billion to the Treasury, got £35 per household in heating oil support. As the fuel crisis spirals, we see little or no action from the Labour Government. Will they turn their back on that alignment and turn towards the taxpayer?

• 15 Apr 2026 · Energy Prices · Hansard source

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  The Secretary of State will be aware that Scotland is an energy-rich exporter of electricity, hydrocarbons and renewables, so why are so many Scots struggling to pay what are among the highest bills in Europe?

• 13 Apr 2026 · Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill · Hansard source

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  Another day in this Parliament, another chaotic U-turn. I thank the Minister for being the latest to make the long walk from No. 10 to over here to announce said U-turn, and thank the one, solitary Labour MP who could be encouraged to stand up for the Government. I accept that the Tories made a mess of this, but I have to say that the excuse given by the Minister—that Donald Trump’s unpredictability was something that could not be foreseen—is something people will find very difficult to believe. On that lack of foresight, this is a serious issue and I know that the Minister treats it seriously, so will he tell us how much money has been wasted on this so far, what the implications are for national security, and what the implications are for the international rules-based system and the rights of the Chagossians who have been caught in the middle of this sad, sorry mess?

• 25 Mar 2026 · Foreign Financial Influence and Interference: UK Politics · Hansard source

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  Can I put on record my thanks to Sir Philip Rycroft for his public service? The Secretary of State referenced devolved Administrations. The Scottish Parliament is going into the pre-election period this afternoon, so how will this work in terms of the elections? How will this legislation impact the extraordinary number of political donors who happen to find themselves as Members of the House of Lords, should they be seen to have broken any rules here?

• 25 Mar 2026 · Points of Order · Hansard source

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  On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. As I mentioned earlier, the Scottish Parliament goes into recess today ahead of the election, yet the Minister has talked about seeking a legislative consent motion. This is an important issue, and I respect the work that has been done, but can I seek your guidance on how these measures can be brought forward in a timelier manner so that we can respect the democratic process of other parliamentary institutions within these islands?

• 24 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T5. Mr Speaker, the energy bills crisis is happening right now, but you might not know that from Ministers’ responses today. The Scottish Government’s actions have helped to deliver clean, green, renewable energy as a net exporter, bailing out the UK Government in terms of heating oil as well. Will they work together, and will they respond positively to the First Minister’s call for a four nations summit?

• 24 Mar 2026 · Energy Bills: Scotland · Hansard source

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  Scotland is one of the most energy-rich countries in Europe, and the Treasury and the UK Government have benefited to the tune of hundreds of billions as revenues have flowed in over the years, yet bill payers in Scotland pay among the highest prices in Europe. Labour promised that bills would be hundreds of pounds lower than they are now, yet two years in they follow the failure of successive Westminster Governments in terms of resilience and bills. Would Scotland not be better off looking after its own energy resource?

• 24 Mar 2026 · Energy Bills: Scotland · Hansard source

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  6. What steps his Department is taking to support communities in Scotland with the cost of energy bills.

• 17 Mar 2026 · Middle East · Hansard source

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  When there is no long-term plan for military intervention, it is civilian populations who pay the price. We know that from Iraq, Libya and elsewhere. Given the importance of international law, which I hope the Foreign Secretary supports, will she tell me what the consequences are for Israel for its actions in Lebanon? Just as importantly, when it comes to RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia, what assurances has she been given that there will be no targeting of civilians from those bases?

• 11 Mar 2026 · Lord Mandelson: Response to Humble Address Motion · Hansard source

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  The Minister has said that he wants to be open with us. I tabled a series of parliamentary questions about when Peter Mandelson ceased employment at the Foreign Office and I never got a response. They were first tabled on 4 February. There was a flurry of emails on 4 February without any context to them at all. Will he provide the context? Is it a coincidence? Why could the Minister not answer my question previously? And if he does want to be open, then let us try another one. He said that Peter Mandelson was fired because he told lies, but he has been given a £75,000 pay-off: £35,000 of that was a special severance payment; £30,000 was tax-free. Why on earth was it tax-free?

• 11 Mar 2026 · Points of Order · Hansard source

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  On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. First, I apologise that I have not been able to give you notice of this, but it is in reference to the earlier response and to the documents. I tabled a written parliamentary question about when Peter Mandelson left his employment on 4 February. The emails on 4 February show that officials knew the answer to that question on 16 October. Not only was it late coming back, and I had to table a second question, but no answer was forthcoming. We have a role and a job to hold this Government to account. They knew the answer to the question and they did not answer that question, and I know that you, Madam Deputy Speaker, will take that extraordinarily seriously.

• 11 Mar 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q10. Yesterday in the Welsh Senedd, its Members called out a secret Whitehall memo that showed this Government’s attitude to devolution: a muscular Unionism that Boris Johnson would have been proud of. When Scottish and Welsh voters go to the polls, will the Prime Minister respect their decision? What is it about those elections that so seems to terrify him at the moment?

• 2 Mar 2026 · Middle East · Hansard source

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  The Prime Minister will understand why the ghosts of Iraq hang heavy over the Chamber at times like this. On that basis, does he agree that the best rebuke to the murderers in Tehran and the Iranian regime is the maintenance of the international rules-based system? More than that, we owe it to the people across the region to learn from the instability in the aftermath of Iraq, so what is the long-term viable plan?

• 2 Mar 2026 · Representation of the People Bill · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Member give way?

• 2 Mar 2026 · Representation of the People Bill · Hansard source

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  May I first congratulate the Green party on its significant majority and its win? It is not my party, but I will congratulate it for that significant win over Reform and the Labour party. Does the hon. Gentleman not agree that every single UK citizen, regardless of their faith or ethnic background, has as much right to cast their vote as any other, without fear or favour?

• 2 Mar 2026 · Representation of the People Bill · Hansard source

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  It did not sound like it.

• 25 Feb 2026 · Ukraine · Hansard source

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  I am sorry that this intervention is so early, but I just wanted to reflect that I was in Kyiv at the same time as the Secretary of State, and I thank him for his visit. We were there at the same time to see the apartment block where emergency responders were hit with a double-tap strike—that is, they had gone to respond and to rescue those affected, and then they too were hit. The Secretary of State is aware of the desperate need for air defence missiles and the lack of Patriots going in. I know he will address this. Can he say whether that is being raised with the utmost urgency? We need to defend Ukraine’s skies.

• 25 Feb 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Even the embarrassingly loyal Scottish Labour party seems to have lost confidence in the Prime Minister. I say to the Prime Minister, “Please don’t let that put you off coming and campaigning in Scotland on your Government’s record,” but can he tell us why it is that those who were so close to him have abandoned him, given the Government’s record?

• 25 Feb 2026 · Relations with Scottish Government · Hansard source

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  I associate myself with the comments from other colleagues about the sad loss of Jeane Freeman. This has been a difficult few weeks—sorry, another difficult few weeks for Scottish Labour. For the benefit of the House, given that Scottish Labour’s senior politicians have no faith in this Government, will the Secretary of State outline the major policy differences between them?

• 25 Feb 2026 · Relations with Scottish Government · Hansard source

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  Unsurprisingly, the Secretary of State has not been able to tell me that there are any differences, because the sad truth is that when it comes to every issue, the Prime Minister’s most loyal supporters are in Scottish Labour. When it came to raising tax on small and medium-sized enterprises—no problem; when it came to scrapping the winter fuel allowance—no problem; when it came to the two-child benefit cap, they even kicked people out of the party—no problem. But when it comes to their own jobs, then there is a problem. Does the Secretary of State understand why Labour is falling so far and so fast?

• 24 Feb 2026 · EU Membership Referendum: Impact on the UK · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered the impact of the 2016 EU membership referendum on the UK. It is a pleasure to be here with you in the Chair, Sir Desmond. I thank colleagues for turning out for today’s debate. We are now on the 10th anniversary of the vote to leave the European Union: a lost decade for the economy, a lost decade for business, and a lost decade for future generations and in particular our young people, which has left us poorer, more isolated and less secure in a changing world. I note—again, I am grateful to colleagues for turning up today—that those of us who seek to discuss the issue are overwhelmingly those of us who want a closer relationship with the European Union, because, bluntly, we know it has been a disaster. Nobody is arguing that leaving the EU was a good idea, or that it has left us any wealthier or made us better off. In fact, no other state has sought to leave the European Union since the Brexit debacle unfolded. Such isolationism and exceptionalism is something we must reflect upon very seriously indeed. I know the Government are, but we have a number of specific questions for them.

• 24 Feb 2026 · EU Membership Referendum: Impact on the UK · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree. That is the benefit of Ireland being a member of the European Union and why I cannot fathom why Labour and, I am sorry to say, the Liberal Democrats—I can understand the Conservatives and Reform—do not endorse rejoining the European Union. It is staring them in the face.

• 24 Feb 2026 · EU Membership Referendum: Impact on the UK · Hansard source

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  Not at the moment. I want to reflect for a moment that, although the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage)—I made him aware that I would be referencing him today, in this one instance—told us that the UK would not be the last member to leave, no one left and more members are seeking to join. That has been the legacy of this period. Are any colleagues from Reform here today? No. There are some from the Conservatives—I can never quite tell who is in and who is out and which way round they are—but there are no Reform Members in this debate on its showcase policy platform. This is an isolationist, nationalist project, and it has failed profoundly. On that point, I will give way to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), because he is always very courteous in the Chamber.

• 24 Feb 2026 · EU Membership Referendum: Impact on the UK · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member has fallen into the nationalist exceptionalism trap that I would expect more from the Conservatives or Reform. Why is it that the 27 member states of the European Union consider themselves independent and sovereign? The European Union is a club for independent states; the UK is not. That is the fundamental difference. I will talk briefly about migration, because it is important—and I want to make progress, as a lot of Members want to speak. The UK left the Dublin regulation, which led to an explosion in the number of small boats—the Brexit boats, the Reform boats, the Tory boats. In the EU, irregular border crossings have gone down, but in the UK they have gone up. I know that the Government are looking at returns, but that is a desperate situation. On the impact on devolution, Scotland voted to leave, but even within the deal we have the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. I hope the Minister will revisit that Act—one that Labour cried out about previously, and the Scottish Parliament refused consent for. We have talked about Northern Ireland. Because we do not have the purest of pure Brexits, now the European convention on human rights is under threat. It is a bit like the purest of pure communism has apparently never been tried; the purest of pure Brexits, for the ultimate Brexiteers, has never been tried either. The threat to devolution continues under the United Kingdom Internal Market Act, and I hope the Minister will address that. Finally, we are less secure. Today is four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and I know we are all in the same place on that. It turned the whole of Europe upside down. The EU is integral to our security, so will the Minister tell me why Canada can join the defence procurement scheme but the UK cannot? What progress is being made on that? It is a fundamentally important issue.

• 24 Feb 2026 · EU Membership Referendum: Impact on the UK · Hansard source

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  Let me just make one more point, and then I will take an intervention from the Labour Benches. We know the importance of food and energy security, and Ukraine, Moldova and others see their future in Europe, so why on earth does the UK not? Eighty per cent of our 16 to 24-year olds want not a customs union, but to rejoin the EU. Seventy-five per cent of Scots want to rejoin, because Brexit has been a failure.