Iain Dale Is Forced To Correct Lib Dem MEP ENTIRELY Over Johnson's Brexit Deal

17 October 2019, 21:39 | Updated: 18 October 2019, 10:08

"I suggest that after we finish this interview you read the actual agreement," Iain Dale told European Parliament Lib Dem deputy leader after having to correct her on everything she said about Johnson's Brexit deal.

Iain Dale asked Lib Dem MEP Luisa Porritt: "If you're so adamant that no deal is such a terrible idea, surely you're incumbent to at least give some consideration of supporting this deal?"

Porritt said: "Well, the Liberal Democrats firmly believes that there is no Brexit deal that will benefit the UK and particularly our economy. And you mentioned no deal there - well, the deal that Boris Johnson has secured in principle is basically no deal in all but name in terms of the economic concept."

"It absolutely is not, that's an absolute lie," said Iain.

The MEP replied: "In terms of the economic consequences, it is because we will still have massive disruption to our trade and to transportation."

"No we won't - how did you work that out?" asked Iain.

She said: "Look, there's been analysis by the UK in a Changing Europe of the shape of this deal already and the analysis shows that the impact to our public finances could be up to 49 billion pounds a year. And that means less money for our schools for our hospitals for the police. This is damaging for the UK."

"How will our transport be disrupted by this deal?"

"Look, we're still looking at customs borders here. Boris Johnson said that no Conservative government could countenance having a border down the Irish Sea. But that's exactly what he's put forward."

Iain repeated the question.

"That will still be disruption," she said to which Iain replied "How?"

"Because you'll still have a lorries queuing up potentially," said Ms Porritt and Iain repeated "How?"

"I mean, this is this is ludicrous," said Iain, "I mean you're Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, you ought to know that under this deal, there'll be no disruption at Dover and Calais at all!"

"Well, I've spoken to colleagues in the European Parliament from other European countries who say that yes, there will be disruption," she said.

"But how?" asked Iain, "You just accept that word, do you? You don't actually ask for the detail of how that would be."

She faltered, "Well - but the point is -"

"No, the point is that you've indulged in scaremongering by trying to maintain that there'll be transport disruption when you when you have no evidence for that whatsoever."

She said: "There is still going to be a border for Northern Ireland, even if it isn't on the island of Ireland, that is a form of disruption because you're taking us out of the customs union."

"Northern Ireland are staying in the customs union, so why should there be any disruption to trade then?" asked Iain.

Ms Porritt replied: "Because you're removing the freedom of access that there is at the moment."

"No you're not," said Iain, "because Northern Ireland is staying in the customs union. They're staying in the single market and the customers union. I'm very surprised you don't know that."

The MEP said Northern Ireland weren't staying in the customs union to which Iain corrected that they were.

Porritt said: "Boris Johnson is calling it a UK Customs Union. So it's actually not clear what the ramifications of that would be."

Iain said: "Well the ramifications are that Northern Ireland is effectively in both so that when we make trade agreements with other countries, Northern Ireland will be included in them which would not have been the case under Theresa May's deal."

"You can't be half in half out and and this is the problem with this lack of clarity," said Ms Porritt.

"I suggest that after we finish this interview you read the actual agreement, because you clearly haven't done so otherwise you would've been able to answer these questions," Iain said.

Watch Iain Dale v Louisa Porritt in full below