James MacCleary
MP for Lewes · Liberal Democrat · United Kingdom
“Primarily, shipping needs to be protected from attacks in the strait of Hormuz. The first way to do that is to reach a settlement that keeps shipping safe in the strait of Hormuz and, as I said in my previous point, that is why we need to reach a diplomatic solution.”
“The UK Government should be working every diplomatic channel they have to get Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table as soon as possible. Let me be clear: this was an illegal war started by a reckless and irresponsible President. Trump, together with Benjamin Netanyahu, led the US and Israel into this war without a plan.”
“Roughly a fifth of the world’s traded oil moves through the strait of Hormuz, so anything that threatens shipping there shows up quickly in household budgets here in Britain, not just in the Gulf.”
“The picture in Iran remains volatile. We have seen renewed military strikes, threats against ships in international waters and rhetoric that keeps ratcheting upwards. Put together, that is the kind of mix that tips into a spiral that nobody in this House wants.”
“It is a good challenge. Obviously, what I am talking about is a long-term solution. The military option has been tried. The United States, the pre-eminent military power on Earth, has expended a huge number of missiles and other military assets to try to bring Iran to a position that it wants it to be in.”
“I also recognise and welcome the designation of the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right, and Russia’s GRU so-called Volunteer Corps. However, designation alone is not enough, so will the Minister tell the House what additional resources are being provided to ensure that the powers are properly enforced?”
The complete record
Every one of 554 lines we hold for James MacCleary, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 12 of 12.
“We certainly had our differences, but they were political rather than personal, and I sincerely wish Maria and her husband, Steve, all the very best for the future. Let me tell the House a little bit about my constituency. I will start in our historic county town. Every year, on 5 November, the town of Lewes hosts one of the largest and most anarchic bonfire celebrations. It is an annual manifestation of the town’s fiercely independent spirit. The streets are packed with tens of thousands of visitors to see the magnificent effigies that are paraded through the town to the various fire sites.”
“I also want to thank the voters in my community for putting their trust in me. That includes those who lent me their support tactically in this election. I will always campaign for electoral reform so that everybody’s vote really counts. I pay tribute to my predecessor, Maria Caulfield, who was the MP for Lewes for nine years. Lewes is a very old constituency that can be traced back hundreds of years, and Maria was the first woman to represent the seat. She served in the last Government as a Health Minister and Women’s Minister. Among other achievements, she was instrumental in introducing baby loss certificates for parents who have suffered the death of a baby—an important and welcome initiative.”
“Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I thank the hon. Member for West Dunbartonshire (Douglas McAllister) for his excellent speech. He is clearly very knowledgeable about his area and I think he will be a hugely positive addition to this House. It is a huge privilege for me to represent the Lewes constituency. It is my home and it is where I am raising, with my partner, our young family. I want to start there, with my family—my partner, Donna, and our two young children, Amelia and Elliott. I want to thank them for their support. In fact, Elliott asked me to bring you guys a message today: he says that if anyone is in the market for trading any Pokémon cards, he is open to a discussion. It has been a really long road, but they have been there every single step of the way and I genuinely could not have done this without their help.”
“Is my hon. Friend aware of the issue of overwhelmed surgeries referring increasing numbers of patients to local pharmacists? I have seen it in my Lewes constituency. Does she agree that this will only contribute further to closures?”