Mr Paul Kohler

8 Jul 2026   European Entry and Exit System

Despite the unholy alliance between the Minister and Members on the Tory Front Bench, this issue is clearly a product of Brexit. I visited Dover with the Home Affairs Committee last week. Dover has invested more than £40 million in infrast…

8 Jul 2026   Troubles Legacy: Legislation

Back in March, the right hon. Member for Makerfield (Andy Burnham) travelled to Belfast to address the Alliance party conference. In his speech, he warned that “it is too easy for the powers-that-be to write their own rules and cover up…

29 Jun 2026   Northern Ireland Office

The 2026-27 main estimate for the Northern Ireland Office asks the House to approve spending plans for this politically sensitive region of the United Kingdom. In cash terms, the 2026-27 block grant has barely increased from 2025-26 levels…

10 Jun 2026   Belfast: Violent Disorder

My thoughts and those of the whole House are with Stephen Ogilvie, who suffered truly horrific injuries on Monday night, and with the residents of Belfast who were forced to flee by rioters who do not speak for any legitimate community gri…

4 Jun 2026   Russian Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure

The House will join me in expressing deep condolences to all those who have lost loved ones as a result of Russia’s unlawful war in Ukraine. The UN has verified nearly 16,000 Ukrainian civilian deaths and 45,000 injured civilians since …

4 Jun 2026   High Street Businesses: Government Support

It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Didcot and Wantage (Olly Glover) on securing this debate. I declare an interest as the owner of CellarDoor, a bar and cabaret venue i…

3 Jun 2026   Replacing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023

The May review of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery describes a “toxic”, “divided” and “disrespectful” senior culture, along with structural weaknesses in the governing legislation. It also raises conce…

20 May 2026   Defence Readiness

I congratulate the hon. Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward) on her passionate and compassionate speech. There is much in the King’s Speech that I can support in principle, and the Liberal Democrats will engage constructi…

14 May 2026   Supreme Court Dillon Judgment

I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. The Supreme Court judgment lays bare the consequences of the previous Government’s catastrophic approach to legacy, which drew a wholly unjustifiable moral equivalence b…

28 Apr 2026   Courts and Tribunals Bill (Eleventh sitting)

Is the Minister talking about extending one trial over more hours? Surely the solution is having two trials in parallel. I do not know whether the Minister has ever been on a jury; I have been on a jury three times. It is very difficult fo…

28 Apr 2026   Courts and Tribunals Bill (Eleventh sitting)

While I concede that the black hole might not have been foreseeable, the fact that there was a backlog in the courts was clearly foreseeable. The idea that the Government came into power and then suddenly realised there was a backlog is im…

28 Apr 2026   Courts and Tribunals Bill (Eleventh sitting)

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir John. I will speak on new clause 6, new clause 25 and, in particular, new clause 2 tabled by the hon. Member for Warrington North. Her proposal represents the genuine structural reform th…

27 Apr 2026   Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (Carry-over)

The Liberal Democrats are committed to ensuring all those who served to uphold the rule of law during Operation Banner are treated with dignity and afforded proper legal protection. As a Member of a parliamentary party whose percentage of …

27 Apr 2026   Dunmurry Police Station Attack

I begin by praising the bravery of the police, the fire and ambulance services, and the delivery driver, all of whom put themselves in danger to prevent a tragedy. I am sure the Secretary of State recognises that, as an act of terrorism…

21 Apr 2026   English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

I wish to speak to Lords amendment 42. Where a local authority provides land for public recreation, it can be held on the basis of a statutory trust that protects it. Parliament has set out a process that must be followed if that trust is …

21 Apr 2026   English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that the Tories’ amendment (a) would do nothing and that it is actually just a tick-box exercise that would allow Lords amendment 42 to pass with the Minister just having to have regard to a report? Why …

21 Apr 2026   English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Will the shadow Minister give way?

21 Apr 2026   English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Then there are two remedies: to re-convey the land to the local authority to do it correctly, or to bring an amendment that gives the local authority a role to play. The local authority has no role to play in this amendment; that is why it…

21 Apr 2026   English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

With respect, may I correct the Minister? There is a process by which the gap can be corrected. The land could be re-conveyed to the local authority and then the correct process carried out. Does she agree that the weakness of Lord Banner’…

21 Apr 2026   Courts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)

Why is increasing resources a legitimate argument in favour of positions that you want to take and a criticism of positions that you want to criticise? We surely need to increase resources, but you are using that point to defend your posit…

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