Following a campaign email “Stand up for Parliament
and Democracy,” I set will set out again my long held position on the matters
raised:
The campaign email ends with these words “…putting
the interests of the country first and doing everything in your power to bring
this crisis to an end. We are counting on you”.
I can agree with the sentiment expressed but not
any of the proposed solutions.
Putting the country first means we must honour the
referendum result and leave the EU. Hopefully our European friends will finally
settle on a deal but if they will not then as already clearly laid out in
Article 50 we will leave without one. Not the preferred option but after years
of debate it becomes the appropriate way forward. No doubt if we do leave on
WTO terms then the EU in due course will agree a trade deal. There is a mutual
benefit in doing so.
Bringing the crisis to end means avoiding any
further delay. Far too much time has been spent already debating. The talk must
stop and action taken. The PM has shown the leadership we need to achieve just
that and you can “count on me” to honour what I said I would do during the
referendum campaign which was that I would honour the result and accept the
decision of the people to remain or leave. We know the result. I will not
waiver from promises made then or at the last election.
What risks destroying democracy and jeopardising
our United Kingdom is allowing anyone to usurp the will of the people, who
voted by a clear majority to leave the EU.
Those who seek a second referendum (something I
will never support) do not accept the result of the first! That is wrong and
undemocratic. If a second poll endorsed leaving, there would then
undoubtedly be a demand for a third. Democracy does not operate on the basis
that we only accept the outcome of a vote when it coincides with our own view.
I sincerely appreciate that leaving the EU has been
a contentious issue, but it is critical that the referendum result be honoured
for the sake of our democracy and not least because I believe the UK will be
better off doing so.
