What MPs outside Northern Ireland had to say in House of Commons debate on Windsor Framework

Labour MP for Leeds Central, Hilary Benn, son of Labour veteran Tony Benn, said he was “pleasantly surprised” by the the Windsor Framework, adding: “The EU has had to move a long way and I think it is a very sensible proposal.”

Conservative MP for Torridge and West Devon, Sir Geoffrey Cox, said: “I do not think we can characterise this as the last word that will ever be spoken on this subject, but it does represent material and real progress.”

Bromley and Chislehurst Conservative MP Sir Bob Neill said that a “great virtue” of the agreement is that it “enables us to resolve those issues in a way which does not lead us into breach of any of our international law obligations, as would have been the case had we proceeded with the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill”.

“That has got to be a win for the UK’s reputation as well as for the people of Northern Ireland,” he said.

Richard Thompson, Scottish National Party for the constituency of Gordon, said his party would support the motion but told the Commons: “In terms of its function as a brake, it’s perhaps questionable whether or not that brake lever is actually connected to anything, and only time will tell.”

Tory MP for Stone, Sir William Cash said: “There is no such thing as Northern Ireland sovereignty. There is only constitutional Westminster sovereignty, and I’m afraid I do not recognise the expression ‘practical sovereignty’ (used by Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris-Heaton Harris).”

He told MPs he had “grave concern” over the Government’s decision not to progress with the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, and said: “The constitutional position is not reflected by the arrangements in this Windsor agreement … the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.”

Vicky Ford, who grew up in Northern Ireland and is now a Conservative MP in Chelmsford, said the majority of people in NI support the framework, adding: “The people of Northern Ireland, and indeed the people in the UK, need to move on.”

Conservative MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, Aaron Bell, said of the Stormont brake: “This is something that for many years people said was impossible – an application to stop the ratchet of EU law and to keep Northern Ireland in the union.”

Dame Andrea Leadsom, Conservative MP for South Northamptonshire, said the agreement enables a huge opportunity in Northern Ireland “to be the target of enormous amounts of foreign direct investment coming into Northern Ireland because it will have the advantage of being an integral part of the UK (and have) open access to EU markets as well”.

Lib Dem MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Jamie Stone praised the framework in relation to seed potatoes exports: “I have seed potato growers in my constituency telling me that this framework is very welcome indeed. It means that they can access the Northern Irish market and in turn, via that mechanism, access to the Republic of Ireland market. That is most welcome.”