Video
Brexit debate descends into farce as MPs discuss story of Lassie
Jeremy Hunt discusses Lassie in the House of Commons. Photograph: Parliament TV. - Credit: Archant
The closure of the third day of debate on Brexit descended into a farce as both the foreign secretary and shadow foreign secretary debated analogies of the children's film Lassie.
Emily Thornberry mocked the Tory post-Brexit vision for the UK as the 'invisible chain' linking countries across the globe.
The Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury said foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt had not realised The Invisible Chain was also the Spanish title for the film Lassie Come Home.
MORE: Jeremy Hunt says 'no Brexit' is now more likely than 'no deal'
To laughter, she added: 'It's no wonder the foreign secretary's vision of the invisible chain has been so enthusiastically embraced by his dog-loving cabinet colleagues.
'The health secretary with his invisible green paper on social care, the transport secretary with his invisible ferries and his invisible traffic jams, and of course the prime minister running around Europe obtaining invisible concessions on Brexit.'
MORE: Support our journalism by taking out a print subscription of The New European for just £13
You may also want to watch:
Hunt closed the debate by saying that Lassie was one of his 'favourite childhood films'.
He said: 'Lassie of course in that story was given to a member of the aristocracy, in fact the Duke of Rudling, but Lassie wasn't happy and she broke free without any kind of referendum and she came home, there is a lesson for all of us.'
Most Read
- 1 Government to hire adviser to identify post-Brexit benefits
- 2 Brexit negotiator Frost threatens drastic action over agreement
- 3 Brexit negotiator admits government didn't expect Brexit to be so disruptive for Northern Ireland
- 4 George Eustice and Liz Truss in row over post-Brexit trade deal with Australia
- 5 A view from inside the Heathrow petri dish
- 6 The Remainers' case for keeping the United Kingdom together
- 7 How Brexit has turned sour for the dairy industry
- 8 Why Germany's windows are the envy of the world
- 9 Boris Johnson’s Mustique holiday ‘was worth double the amount declared’
- 10 My run-ins with Michael Winner
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.
