Brexit

Brexit

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.

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Brexit Question, 4 September

I asked Hilary Benn MP - architect of the Bill to extend our membership of the EU to January 31st or to an alternative date of the EU’s choosing - why he believes this Bill would possibly make the EU offer more generous terms for a Brexit deal - one that he could back.

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Brexit Statement in Parliament 9 April

"We’ve not just kicked the can down the road, we’ve now kicked it into the cul-de-sac, and we’re kicking it round and round the cul-de-sac, getting nowhere".

My speech in Parliament on the Brexit debate on the 9th April.

 

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Another Brexit update!

We were supposed to be coming out on the 29th of March last week. I just wish we’d been able to achieve that, because this has gone on for far too long.

My Brexit update from another historic week in Westminster.

Indicative Votes - Round 2

In the spirit of Henry Ford’s “any colour as long as it is black”, on Monday night we could have ‘compromised’ and voted ‘Aye’ to any Brexit option – as long as it was remain. 

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Weekly look ahead: 1st April

My April 1st ‘Forward-look’ video, fresh from greeting constituents from the Shoreham Beach Residents’ Association up in Westminster. I talk about Brexit (and our new round of votes this week), Mayoral visits, the E.Y.E. Project and more.

Embedded thumbnail for Brexit Update, 29th March

Brexit Update, 29th March

My all-encompassing reaction to Brexit, on what was supposed to be Brexit Day - March 29th.

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Brexit Update

I campaigned for, and voted to leave the EU in a once in a generation vote. We were promised - whether we voted to Leave or to Remain - that our decision would be implemented.

Herald Column: March 21st

This week I am not going to mention Brexit other than to say that the continuing shambles prevented me from meeting up with student scientists from the Sir Robert Woodard Academy who were invited to a prestigious event at the Francis Crick Institute in London.