A General Election has now been called for Thursday 12th December to try and break the deadlock in Parliament and get Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s freshly-negotiated Deal across the line.
Finally Getting Brexit Done is only going to be possible with a new parliament assembled, because the outgoing Parliament repeatedly proved it was simply not prepared to accept any options or arrangements. Getting Brexit done will enable us to get back to focusing on those domestic issues that matter so much to local people.
In June 2016 the British people voted to leave the European Union. Parliament agreed to respect the Referendum result, indeed all the main parties promised to do so, and now that the people have had their say, it is vital that the new Parliament at last respects their wishes.
My strong preference is for the UK to leave the EU with a deal in place. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has, against all odds, successfully re-negotiated a great new Brexit Deal – one which implements the Referendum result, ditches the Backstop, and protects jobs, the environment and workers’ rights. With this new deal we can leave the EU in a responsible and orderly manner. Only a General Election can try and break the deadlock we have seen for years.
58.4% of Northampton Borough voters voted to Leave in the Referendum, and by supporting the Government’s position on Brexit I am very much representing my constituents. But I want a Deal in place when we leave.
I have now voted 4 times to Leave with a Deal. The Opposition have repeatedly blocked a deal in parliament, but have suggested no alternatives, resulting in years of delay. Most recently, the outgoing Parliament voted for the Prime Minister’s new deal but then voted against implementing it.
Rather than causing further delay by having another referendum, or even ignoring the Referendum result as some advocate I feel strongly that we should get Brexit done and move on.
It is crucial that we have a General Election to deliver a majority of MPs to Parliament who will accept the referendum result, pass the Prime Minister’s new deal, and move on to focus on your domestic priorities.
The last time a December General Election was held in the UK was in 1923 but it is urgently necessary now to move on and get Brexit done on 31st January. The alternative is years of further delay.
These past few years have been a tough time for our politics, and for the country as a whole. I very much hope that this election produces a Parliament that can enable us to settle this debate once and for all, and begin to move on and heal the Brexit divide.