At the Prime Minister's Questions yesterday (Wednesday, 10 December), Kingston and Surbiton MP Ed Davey urged the Prime Minister to form a customs union with the European Union to strengthen our connection and get the economy growing strongly again. 

This comes after the Liberal Democrats won a historic vote in Parliament in favour of a UK-EU customs union.

MP for Kingston and Surbiton, Ed Davey, asked the Prime Minister: "We do need to strengthen our ties with Europe, not just on defence, but on the economy.

"The truth is that this Government will not succeed unless they get our economy growing strongly again, and the best way to do that is a customs union with Europe. 

"The Prime Minister's chief economic adviser knows it, the Deputy Prime Minister knows it, and yesterday the Labour Chair of the Treasury Committee showed that she knows it too when she backed our Bill. 

"Does the Prime Minister fear that if he keeps opposing a customs union, in 12 months' time he will not be standing there?"

The UK-EU customs union (duty to negotiate): The Ten-Minute Rule Bill, was brought forward by Liberal Democrat Europe Spokesperson Al Pinkerton MP.

The Bill passed by a majority of one vote. The vote breakdown was 100 in favour, 100 against – with the Deputy Speaker casting the deciding vote in favour. 13 Labour backbenchers voted with the Liberal Democrats in favour of negotiating a customs union with the EU.

 You can see the vote breakdown here.