Dear Constituent
Prosperity, not austerity, is what we need. I campaigned for that in the General Election just over a year ago, promising to work for all my constituents, and to put more and better paid jobs at the heart of what I did for our area. I also stressed the need to help provide more affordable housing for sale and rent. I promised to support Conservative plans to bring down taxes on income and to rule out increases to VAT.
Some of you are now concerned about the consequences of the recent EU referendum vote. The vote was an important exercise in direct democracy. It supplanted our normal representative democracy, where I as your MP weigh carefully all local opinions before making a judgement about how to vote in Parliament on your behalf. On this occasion you all had the same one individual vote as I had. Everyone had the opportunity to speak out, write and appear on platforms to advance the side of the argument they believed in. Many of the debates I joined had lead speakers on both sides from business or the law or recently retired civil servants or university lectures and professors , making it an inclusive debate. It was not a debate led by MPs only. As an individual I could only speak and vote for one side. My long study of the UK’s involvement with the EU persuaded me that we can do more to promote our prosperity and freedom from outside the formal structures of the EU.
I would like to reassure those who disagree with me on the referendum issue. We now revert to representative democracy. As your MP I will continue to represent you all when you have issues and problems that need taking up, and I will ensure your views are heard. We are not leaving Europe, just the EU. I want us to have many strong and good links with our neighbours, based on trade, mutual investment, tourism and travel, academic joint working, student exchanges, joint cultural events and all the other things that draw on our shared heritage and long history of collaborative working across the Channel.
I well understand the worries some Remain voters have, as I heard them well put throughout the referendum campaign. I will work tirelessly to ensure as smooth a transition as possible. I want to see generous research budgets and strong joint working between UK and EU universities. I wish to see us maintain good access to the markets of the rest of the EU. I wish to reassure all who have come to the UK from the continent to work and reside that they are very welcome here and no-one wants to change their rights to be here. Leaving the EU does not mean an end to all migration. The UK will still be welcoming to the many highly qualified people who want to come, to the investors and students who wish to work with us, and to some family members of people already legally settled here. The difference will be that the UK public and Parliament will debate and the UK government propose the rules and the numbers governing future admissions.
It is going to take time to sort out the various matters that need change. It will take time for all of us to adjust to the new mood and landscape the popular vote has created. Parliament will not wish to thwart the will of the national majority, but it will wish to supervise changes to current arrangements to seek ones which are practical and sensible. I suspect the economic and business impact will be less than many feared, as both sides should have every interest in continuing successful and flourishing trade and investment programmes.
I did feel as your MP that I had to stress recently that I will not vote for any budget which cuts public spending or increases taxes in the way the Chancellor was suggesting for the post Brexit world. I take my election promises to vote for lower income taxes and no VAT increases seriously. I also strongly believe that as the UK and the other advanced economies are only growing slowly, we need to reduce taxes a bit more and spend more on national priorities like the NHS and housing, not less. I will continue to be a voice and to exercise my Parliamentary vote for prosperity not austerity.
Yours sincerely
John Redwood
June 25, 2016
All sounds good to me, thank you.
June 25, 2016
Many thanks John for such a well written and clear message.
I suspect that, once the dust has cleared and those who’s egos have been dented by the result, have had time to take it on board, we should see the unity and calmness of Wokingham returning.
I suspect that, in time, people will see that project fear was just that and that life will go on and get better for the majority of us. I know you are a man of integrity and an honest politician, which appears to be rare today, and that you’ll continue to work hard for those of us lucky enough to live in Wokingham.
May I take this opportunity to thank you personally for your hard work and being a real Conservative with a real conscience. Many Thanks.
June 25, 2016
Dear Mr Redwood,
Like many others, I am thankful for your reflections on Britain’s relationship with the EU, which have been more thoughtful than most other commentary on the topic.
With interest on government debt having fallen even further, it is imperative that stimulative policies be pursued. Investment in vital services as well as infrastructure must be introduced at once, so that with a stable economy, not only the country may weather the uncertainties of this period, but also conduct negotiations from a position of strength.
Yours,
Andrew Brooke
June 25, 2016
Well done John, for your level headed sensible campaign, which has thankfully prevailed.
It looks like the market overreaction is going to be short lived with the FTSE already recovered and our currency recovering.
There seems to be much sour grapes from people around the world who should respect our right to self determination. I am very positive for the future where we will have our sovereignty and democracy back and we will have much more global influence where we return to top tables rather than delegating our views and input via the EU.
Is the Wales v N Ireland #Euro16 football match going to be played under the Remain rules? If the winning team does not have at least 60% possession and 75% of goals, they will petition, demanding a replay!
July 2, 2016
Mr Redwood. It seems to me there was a very clear majority from your constituency to remain in the EU. Yet you seem be sticking to your previous dogma of leaving the EU.
How can you possibly claim to be representing the interests of your constituents?
I have read you ‘options’ and all have gaping holes in the assumption that this or that can be favorably negotiated. Where are all these skilled negotiators coming from and why weren’t they negotiating on our behalf previously?
Regards
Reply A majority of voters in Wokingham Council area which includes parts of four constituencies voted for Remain. We do not know the actual vote in my constituency. I do represent all my voters and will strive to ensure the worries of Wokingham Remain voters are taken seriously and dealt with. Both the government and the Opposition have said Parliament has to implement the result of the national referendum. My proposals suggest a way to do that to avoid the economic adverse affects feared by Remain.My main aim is to prevent any damage to the jobs and incomes of my area.