Brexit

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The events immediately following the result of the EU referendum were momentous and will shape the future of our country for years to come.

Against all the odds and certainly against expectations of the government and the markets the British people decided that, after 43 years as a member of the EU, it was no longer for us.

I hear that message and respect and agree with that decision, and the Government must too. In my constituency, the margin of the vote to Leave was higher than the national figure at around 55%-45%. With a turnout of 72% of the British public, which was the highest in a UK-wide election since 1992, 17,410,742 people voting Leave – the biggest vote in British history for anything – and with all the regions of the UK voting to ‘Leave’ outside London, Scotland and Northern Ireland, it was a solid endorsement. 

Regardless of your position on the Leave/Remain question, this was certainly a victory for democracy and I hope that this level of engagement on important political issues can be maintained in the future.

News

Embedded thumbnail for Sky News - Brexit - Customs Union and No Deal Option

Sky News - Brexit - Customs Union and No Deal Option

This morning I debated with Hilary Benn on Sky News the benefits of leaving the EU's Customs Union, which currently stops the UK from making our own free trade agreements, and the so-called No Deal Option which is an important part of our negotiating position.

Embedded thumbnail for ITV Meridian - The Last Word - Brexit

ITV Meridian - The Last Word - Brexit

On ITV Meridian's Last Word I discussed how there is no such thing as 'Hard' or 'Soft' Brexit, there is only Brexit. Last year the public voted for us to take back control of our borders, our money, our laws and our ability to make free trade agreements.

Making the most of British Intelligence

One of the more conciliatory things said by one of our EU partners when a referendum was in the offing was by the Finnish Prime Minister, who proclaimed that: ‘The EU without Britain is pretty much the same as fish without chips.’

Embedded thumbnail for European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill

European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill

My "short" update on the progress of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. This is the legislation that gives Parliament's consent to allow the Government to enact Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, thereby beginning the process of our withdrawal from the EU.

Prime Minister - A Global Britain

Dear colleague,

Today I set out the Government’s 12 negotiating objectives for Brexit, part of our Plan for Britain, which aims to get the right deal abroad while ensuring a better deal for ordinary working people here at home.

Brexit and the High Court ruling

There has been a lot of hysteria surrounding this week’s ruling by the High Court that Parliament needs formally to ratify the Government’s intention to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty in order to start the process of the UK leaving the EU.