Speeches by Jopp.

“I want to explore the notion of codifying the relationships at the top of the shop in law—which I think was your preferred outcome. The former CDS said, “You can put the wiring diagram where you want; the art of it is how you manage the interfaces,” and that is what you are talking about. With the incoming National Arm…”

“Thank you, that was really helpful just to baseline the rest of our discussion.”

“If it is any consolation, when I worked in the Ministry of Defence, we had two teams working on a single version of the truth—try to work that one out. We have travelled extensively in this Parliament, to Estonia, Finland, America, Australia, Ukraine and France, so we have seen some international comparators and some p…”

“Would my hon. Friend agree that the corollary of taxes is expenditure? We have tried to elicit some clarity from Government Members about whether they would like to raise the two-child benefit cap, which would cost £3.5 billion, or leave it where it is. Given the Chancellor’s kite-flying exercise in the media recently,…”

“I think that funny sound I am hearing, on the back of that last statement, is General Mike Jackson spinning in his grave, but there we are. Mr Savill, I want to go back to something you said about the reform agenda laid out in a speech by John Healey when in opposition, and how it clashes with other reform. For those o…”

“Will the hon. Member give way?”

“On the topic of tough decisions, I have a really simple question for the hon. Gentleman, which will probably do him some good in the coup that is currently going on. Is he for lifting the two-child benefit cap, or for keeping it in place?”

“It would make things so much simpler for the House if the hon. Gentleman would put a date on when those on the Government Benches will take responsibility for running the country. I do not mind if it is in six months’ time or a year’s time, but we can then all go home—I have lots of things to do in Spelthorne until the…”

“Will my hon. and gallant Friend take an intervention from any Labour Member who is prepared to say that they have spoken to a business in their constituency that welcomes the NI tax increase?”

“The hon. Member is nickel-and-diming the debate. One big question faces the Chancellor: what to do about the two-child benefit cap, which costs £3.5 billion, so let us not worry about the odd £50,000 here or there. I would like to hear a clear statement from him: is he for lifting the two-child benefit cap, or for keep…”

“The hon. Member says that he does not really understand the contradictions. Would he like to state how much growth there has been in the UK economy since the last Budget?”

“Q1. If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 12 November.”

“Kebatu was released in error on 24 October, which was a Friday. I was under the impression that in the last Parliament Simon Fell, the former Member for Barrow and Furness, passed a rather brilliant private Member’s Bill that became the Offenders (Day of Release from Detention) Act 2023. The Act states that a prisoner …”

“This morning, eight four-star generals and an air chief marshal took the unprecedented step of writing to the newspapers. Their letter deserves to be heard in full and to be entered the public record. They write: “Having held the honour of leading the United Kingdom’s armed forces, we do not speak out lightly. Yet on A…”

“Would the hon. Member like to put his money where his mouth is and tell us whether his faith in the Employment Rights Bill is such that he is prepared to make a commitment to his constituents in Ellesmere Port and Bromborough that if, having passed this Bill, unemployment goes up, he will resign his seat?”

“I am grateful to the hon. Member, who I like very much, for giving way on that point. He is clearly a massive fan of the Employment Rights Bill. The people of Falkirk are watching him, so would he like to commit to them that if, having passed the Employment Rights Bill, unemployment goes up and therefore we have fewer …”

“Will the hon. Gentleman give way?”

“Part of the reason we are looking after the Afghans is that this will not be our last rodeo and we want to be able to go down range and rely on consent, to a certain extent, to be able to operate among the people. Among your contacts both still in Afghanistan and Pakistan and in the military bases back in the UK, have …”

“But no one ever considered that the soldier might have done it deliberately. That is my question.”

“It was early June.”