Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We speak to all political parties in the UK all the time. I have got to know Mr. Keir Starmer, the Labour spokesperson on Brexit, well. He is a very fine person and is on top of the detail. We will continue to have conversations with all political parties. The Government needs to be careful not to pretend it can influence British politics, and it should not try to do so publicly because we might well find it could have the opposite effect to that desired. The British political system needs to tease through the detail of the text. That will happen in the coming days and weeks, and there will be a vote at the end. We will also have a detailed debate. I assure the Deputy that neither the Taoiseach, the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Helen McEntee, or other Minister, including me, will claim victories or anything like that. That has not been happening. Yesterday we were very careful not to comment when it was not helpful to do so.

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