Preet Kaur Gill:
We all know that Rwanda is just a gimmick by this Government, and I think that I have already set out my position very clearly. I will continue to make my remarks so that the Government are absolutely clear as to where we stand on this issue.
I am pleased that the zero draft highlighted that states must retain sovereignty, and that the implementation of the regulations
“shall be with the full respect for the dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons”.
I ask the Minister to take this opportunity to update us on the progress being made in negotiations over the amendments and the draft text. Can he reassure our constituents that the Government would not sign up to anything that would compromise the UK’s ability to take domestic decisions on national public health measures?
John Redwood (Wok) (Con):
I do not understand the hon. Lady’s argument. This amendment to the regulations would mean that the WHO could decide that there was a health crisis in our country, whether we thought there was or not. It could then tell us how we had to handle it in far more detail than its advisory work during the covid crisis—it would be mandatory. What does she not understand about that and why does she not disagree with it? [Interruption.]
December 20, 2023
WHO ought to be an International advisory organisation with no powers whatsoever to insist, legally or morally that any country should obey their opinion.
December 23, 2023
Absolutely correct.
December 20, 2023
Keep pushing SirJ, you have more backers than you realise
December 20, 2023
Ms. Gill had said earlier in the debate :
– “Labour absolutely supports the principle of legally binding international health regulations that define the obligations of countries in handling pandemic-level threats. That is critical to our national health security”
and later expressed the fond hope that:
– “Our constituents want reassurance that the Government would not sign up to anything that would compromise our ability to take domestic decisions on national public health measures”
so the part she seems not to understand is all of it!
December 20, 2023
Are the Red Chinese signatories? What’s their word worth these days, given they have already renegued on Hong Kong?
December 21, 2023
Thank you for attending the debate. Your contribution has now received 96,000 views in two days on Dr. John Campbell’s youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gs8ZKK9TSs