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@jaw
Follow up from my MP:
Dear Mr jaw,
Last night I voted against the trigger for Article 50. I did not find this an easy decision, since it involved balancing two very fundamental principles-respect for the majority decision of those voting in last year’s referendum, and what I believe to be in the best interests of the country. There is, unfortunately, no way to meet everyone’s expectations- 24,000 people voted ‘Leave’ in Westminster, even though the large majority (54,000) voted remain, and there are others who voted remain but who now believe we need to deliver on the outcome. I am grateful to the many hundreds of people who have written to me in the last week alone, and I have reflected on the range of views expressed. I am also very conscious of the fact that Westminster has the highest number of resident European citizens anywhere in the country, and I have heard about the potential impact on their lives, families and businesses. But ultimately my colleagues and I have to exercise our judgement as to what is in the national interest. As I have previously argued, the ‘Leave’ was certainly a point of departure- what it did not provide was a destination upon which most people could agree.
In the final analysis, I feared that voting for Article 50 now commits us to Brexit in two years’ time with no idea as to the shape of the deal and absolutely no guarantee that we will be able to say no to what is on offer if it is not good for the country. A good deal may be possible, and it is in all our interests to ensure this is the case, but we could be about to commit this country to a path which will leave us weakened and damaged. We are effectively being asked to sign up to the unknown, on whatever terms the government agrees, or risk not having a deal and defaulting to WTO rules, which could have disastrous consequences for jobs.
During the coming ‘committee’ stage of the Bill, I will consider and support any amendments which secure a proper choice on the final deal, in the hope that improvements can be made. I will also support amendments that aim to ensure that the negotiations secure the protections – environmental and consumer protection, employee rights and so on- which are essential to a decent society. It is vital that future trade deals with Europe or other countries do not lead to a ‘race to the bottom’ on any of these issues. I don’t believe this is what the country voted for, and I don’t believe it is in the interests of my constituents.
Kind regards
Karen