A number of constituents have written to me with an
email entitled “It's Time To Back A Compromise - A Public Vote.”
The promise made during the referendum was that
voters would decide if we left or remained in the EU. Both sides put forward
their best arguments. The vote was to leave. It is imperative that vote is
honoured. Many MPs who at the last election said they would honour the referendum
result have done all they can to thwart the process.
I will never support a second referendum. If MPs will not
respect the result of the 2016 referendum why would anyone trust them to
respect the outcome of a second one? The Liberal Democrats have already
made clear if the result of another referendum is again to leave they will
still campaign to remain!
There is no mandate for another referendum. The 2016
referendum came about because David Cameron put it in the Conservative
manifesto in 2015. We won a majority and implemented our manifesto commitment.
In 2017 both the main parties pledged to respect the referendum result. The
Liberal Democrats campaigned for a 2nd referendum and won a total of 12 seats.
If Labour or any other party now want another referendum they should put it in
their manifesto, have a general election and let the country decide.
Article 50 sets out we will seek a deal with the EU
and now against all odds and in record time the PM has achieved what his
detractors said would be impossible; a revised deal that has been approved by
the House. A momentous achievement. If there is concern over a no deal scenario
then the obvious solution is to allow the progress of the PMs deal.
The deal that has been negotiated will create a
clear path for the UK to be free from all its currents ties to the EU and work
for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, whilst enabling us to develop trading
arrangements with other countries. Importantly this deal will also maintain the
constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom, with all four corners of the UK
remaining within our customs union when we depart from the EU.
What will serve our children and future generations
best is for them to see the democratic process in action, with everyone
accepting the result of a ballot – even when they disagree. Further I firmly
believe the best future for all of us lies with the UK becoming a sovereign
nation again free to trade across the world – and with our friends and
neighbours in Europe.
