Speeches by Thomas.

“That is what I am doing. This is the question I would like to ask. Why is China being treated differently?”

“This Government have a very inconsistent approach. They have released the text of deals with other countries, but not with China. There is quite evidently a two-tier approach. If the Government are going to apply a uniform approach, why does the Secretary of State not release the text of this deal?”

“I do not believe he has. He has made reference to the previous Government but—”

“Will the Secretary of State give way?”

“That is what I have been doing, but you have not answered them, Secretary of State.”

“That is what I am doing. This Government have published the text of deals with other countries. Why not release the text of the deal for China?”

“So why not release the text?”

“But there is inconsistency.”

“I will keep my comments brief, and they will be focused on council tax. The reason they will be brief is that I was hoping to intervene earlier on the Secretary of State. He said that he did not want to dodge difficult topics and wanted to talk about promises, but he did not take an intervention from me, probably becau…”

“I am asking about this Government. This Government have published—”

“I am talking about this Government, Secretary of State. You have released the texts for other countries. Release the Chinese text.”

“If there is a different approach to China, why is China different?”

“Residents across the country knew ahead of the general election that the Prime Minister had made various very public pledges that the Labour party would freeze council tax should it come to office. If there is a mistake on my part and those words were not in the manifesto, I apologise for that, but—here I return to my …”

“I will not give way, because the Secretary of State would not give way to me. I will not give way and be lectured to by Labour MPs who are not upholding their promises. The Government stood on a manifesto to freeze council tax, knowing full well that they would not be able to deliver that. Worse still, last May, prior …”

“But specifically in relation to our energy system?”

“Substantively, I would like to see the Government release the text of this deal, as Parliament deserves to see it. The Secretary of State can chuckle and laugh and be evasive around the topic, but it is a serious issue.”

“I thank my hon. Friend and neighbour; he is far too generous. I was leader of Wychavon district council in south Worcestershire for five years, and we proudly froze council tax for five years consistently without cutting a single service. Local government is lean. It can be run efficiently and effectively without dupin…”

“I do not have any further questions.”

“Given that acknowledged caution, the sort of topics that Parliament deserves to see the detail on include whether this deal involved commitments not to complain to China about slave labour being used in solar production and commitments to maintain reliance on Chinese supply chains—”

“That is what I am doing, so why not publish the text of the deal?”