Parliament votes for an independent UK

Parliament voted 494 to 122 to notify the European Union of our intention to leave.

Parliament voted to carry out the wishes of the people, as expressed in the referendum.

Parliament, after much debate, self examination and passionate exchange, voted to take back control.

The puppet Parliament of recent years, nodding through countless laws from Brussels, decided it must take responsibility again.

 

Over the last two weeks of debate, Parliament has come to life.

Many MPs wanted to be in the chamber.

Many MPs wanted to speak.

MPs who voted Remain in the referendum agonised over the conflict between their own view and the decision of the people which they had sought.

MPs who voted Leave spoke  to reassure their Remain voters that once independent the UK can thrive and prosper.

 

The decision of Parliament, backing the decision of the people, will be formally communicated to Brussels.

As lawyers on both sides in the Supreme Court case argued, once sent the country will leave the EU.

That is why the decision mattered so much.

 

I was impressed by the size of the vote to leave, and the scale of the majority.

It is true the Lords needs to do the same

But how can the unelected House reject the will of the people in the referendum and the will of the Commons by such a big majority?

 

The people are sovereign.

Parliament can be  sovereign between elections, once we are out of the EU.

It can only preserve the trust of enough people if it carries out their wishes.

After all the passion, the self doubts of individuals  and whole parties, after the technical arguments and legal sophistries

Parliament understood.

 

Tonight Parliament  has grasped that the once sovereign Parliament can be sovereign again.

It has understood that it can only hold that power if it pleases the people.

All UK democrats can sleep well in their beds tonight.

The people’s will has prevailed.

Parliament is ready to serve again.

Parliament voted to take back control.

 

 

 

 

152 Comments

  1. Richard
    February 8, 2017

    Feeling proud of yourself voting to keep out thousands of child refugees? Not in my name.

    1. MickN
      February 9, 2017

      Yes we saw some of those “Child refugees” a while back. Most of them looked like they needed a shave.

    2. Edward2
      February 9, 2017

      Nearest place of safety.

    3. Richard1
      February 9, 2017

      Was there a vote on admitting child refugees? I missed that – what’s the connection?

    4. rapscallion
      February 9, 2017

      Child refugees – oh yeah, all those children – all well over 18. The moment they pass through the first safe country they are no longer refugees, but economic migrants. An inconvenient fact for people like you. How many refugees in your house then Richard?

      None is it?

    5. Pud
      February 9, 2017

      I thought this topic was about Article 50, not a bill to ban refugees? Perhaps you are meaning that leaving the EU will make it harder for economic migrants to travel through many safe European countries before illegally entering the UK then claiming asylum?

    6. Anonymous
      February 9, 2017

      Thanks to the Liberal Left we are not allowed to check who is a child refugee and who is a cheat. It was predictable that a load of blokes would turn up calling themselves ‘children’.

    7. June Romans
      February 9, 2017

      Maybe if we hadn’t already seen the abuse of letting in ‘children’ in their thirties, things might have been different. I don’t think we owe liars like that anything at all.

    8. Iain Moore
      February 9, 2017

      Virtue signalling is a plague of our times, but virtue signalling when we don’t have the resources to cope is of a different order. Councils say they don’t have the services to accommodate any more children. Celebrities and politicians , like Yvette Cooper, haven’t made good their offers to take refugees. Some of these refugee ‘children’ don’t look very much like children. Some have absconded from the Council’s care , and anyway with the outcomes from Council care so poor , and as France has dispersed these children into their care systems, why would you want to drag them into our rotten care system? Doing that isn’t being very charitable.

    9. James Matthews
      February 9, 2017

      OK. In that case I am sure you and all those who agree with you will be happy to house, feed, educate and medicate all these child “refugees” (even the twenty-five year olds) without demanding resources from the rest of us to assist you. Many thanks.

    10. Anzon
      February 9, 2017

      Feel proud of yourself for robbing the 150M people of Southern Europe of their livelihoods and human expectations? Not in my name!

      1. Anzon
        February 9, 2017

        The above post was aimed at Richard, NOT Mr Redwood.

    11. Handbags
      February 9, 2017

      Well, they can do it in my name instead then – it’s called democracy.

    12. Yossarion
      February 9, 2017

      Refugees seek asylum in the first safe Country as laid down in the UN act of 1952, they do not travel thousands of miles. these are economic migrants.

    13. Graham
      February 9, 2017

      Feeling morally superior for swelling the population here without consideration of options more suitable for their needs.

      Why stop at kids,wilfully deserted by their parents in many instances, let’s have the grannies as well why not!!

      Your view is not in my name either.

    14. Andy
      February 9, 2017

      If you mean children in camps in France or Greece then they are not ‘refugees’. They are Migrants and that is not the same thing at all.

    15. margaret
      February 9, 2017

      That is why we had a vote .We have a saying that carers have to be strong enough to look after the cared for or else all fall down .The whole worlds responsibilities do not lie at our feet . We will take what we can manage. I certainly have not got a god complex , but if you think thar you can manage everybody else’s responsibilities; you must have .

    16. Brigham
      February 9, 2017

      Too many 30 and 40 year old “children”

    17. rose
      February 9, 2017

      Refugees are best kept as close to home as possible. That way they are more likely to return home when the time comes and build their country back up again. If we persist with this new policy of encouraging fit young men to leave their families behind in the camps and make a life just for themselves in other continents, how likely do you think it is that they will return to rebuild their countries? And how will the women and children, and old and ill people manage without them? We should pay more attention to what these women are saying and a little less to the virtue signallers.

      The disadvantages to the Northern European countries of taking in millions of young men are obvious.

    18. Hoe
      February 9, 2017

      It has not been established if they are child refugees or economic migrants. The last wave were adults not children! Cameron made it clear the U.K. Would only accept from established camps not to encourage dingy death traps. Then we had the Home Office send people Calais FFS. Rudd needs. To be sacked for a variety of reasons not least her failure to curb immigration the record numbers increase each time figures are given. We have a mass immigration crisis not a housing problem. No more refugees or any other form of immigration until there is a coherent plan to cope with public services and countries near these countries take their fare share.

    19. Pd
      February 9, 2017

      Not sure the relevance of your assertion

    20. Sean
      February 9, 2017

      Wake up and smell the coffee!

    21. DaveM
      February 9, 2017

      If the ones who have arrived so far are anything to go by, the average age of these “children” is 25.

    22. Timaction
      February 9, 2017

      How many refugees whether child or adult has any of the Muslim Gulf states taken? I think we’ve done our bit, especially as the Foreign aid budget now exceeds the entire Police budget for England and Wales. All this whilst we can’t affords to look after the social care of our elderly and our public and health services are collapsing!

      1. getahead
        February 9, 2017

        Wow! That partisan comment made a lot of people angry. Including me.

      2. Know-dice
        February 10, 2017

        That’s the way I see it.

        Rhetoric says that each “child” costs a council about £50,000 per annum per child – and for how many years?.

        So, the “magic money tree people” will let them in regardless, but those with a pragmatic sensible outlook will realise that for each migrant child that comes here there will be less funding available for the indigenous ageing population.

        The choice is yours… (Richard)

        1. APL
          February 11, 2017

          I’ve got a better idea, let’s send Cameron, Sarkozy and Hilary Clinton on a special privately funded ( from their own resources ) to Libya where they can confront the situation of the people on the ground, perpetrator to victim.

          Cameron is a multi millionaire, Clinton can use some of the resources of the Clinton foundation.

    23. Original Richard
      February 9, 2017

      The more “refugees” we take in the more that will come.

      There are 1.2 billion people in Africa increasing at 30m per year.

      We cannot solve Africa’s problems simply by throwing our doors open to anyone who wants to come here.

      1. fedupsoutherner
        February 10, 2017

        Yes, it’s bad enough that 200 illegal immigrants are coming into the UK in the back so of lorries without actually inviting them all in.

  2. Mick
    February 8, 2017

    Fantastic result Mr Redwood, now we can get a move on and out of the eu, sooner the better, but I think you should pass this information onto BBC/sky news because they break there backs to only interview remoaners after the victorious results, bias or what, even the One show was showing eu bias tonight,about time the license fee was scrapped

    1. Hope
      February 9, 2017

      JR was impressive and impassioned when speaking. Rees- Mogg clearly putting Clarke in his place as he knew more about the constitutional facts than him. Rees- Mogg ought to be given a role in cabinet.

      1. rose
        February 9, 2017

        She and the pilot fish won’t have Etonians or intellectuals.

    2. Bob
      February 9, 2017

      The TV Licence Fee is an anachronism.
      The BBC itself has become infested with Common Purpose graduates, and people with non-compliant views excluded or worse still mocked. Whether it’s journalists, script writers, comedians or panel show participants.

      Andrew Neil is the exception that proves the rule.

      The corporation is too big and too far gone to change, so scrapping is the only solution, anything less will be too little too late.

      1. Lifelogic
        February 12, 2017

        Indeed their line on almost everything – taxation, currency, climate alarmism, the transport agenda, magic money tree economics, expensive energy, immigration levels, the EU, employment laws, red tape in general (with the sole exception of the fairly middle of the road A Neil) is moronic.

    3. Tad Davison
      February 9, 2017

      Mick,

      The BBC showed a group of opposition remainiac MPs in the Commons chamber, being conducted by one of their number, defiantly singing/humming along to the EUs anthem.

      Why not our own?

      I think that has its own commentary and demonstrates their true allegiance. 5th column exposed right there! So much for bearing true allegiance to Her Majesty.

      Tad

      1. Denis Cooper
        February 10, 2017

        That was the SNP contingent.

  3. Old Albion
    February 8, 2017

    Obviously I’m very pleased with that result. But can we just get Article 50 served, please.

    1. Lifelogic
      February 9, 2017

      It will be nine months wasted by the time it is served. Cameron promised to serve it on June 24th 2016, but then no one sensible would believe a word that Cast Iron said. He only promised the referendum when forced and even then though he could rat on it using the Libdims as the excuse. At least he has gone unlike Osborne.

      JR says:- “As lawyers on both sides in the Supreme Court case argued, once sent the country will leave the EU.” Well we shall see. Judges are likely to take an entirely different view, should it suit them, in the many cases likely to follow.

      I see that Sir Jon Cunliffe told the BBC that “lax controls” risked undoing progress that had been made since the financial crisis.

      The banks are not working properly at all, the controls on them currently are misguided and hugely damaging to the economy. Get some proper competition going in banking and some light but sensible regulation. Than the current misguided botch is a disaster.

    2. Lifelogic
      February 9, 2017

      All this should have be done a few days after May became leader (by default), what was the point of appealing the legal actions?

  4. LordBlagger
    February 8, 2017

    The people are sovereign.

    ===========

    Next step.

    You have to give up power to us. We need the right to tell you what to do, not the other way round

    1. Leslie Singleton
      February 9, 2017

      My Lord–Agreed–We want many more referenda–I increasingly wonder, seeing how egregiously so many of them behave, why we should have to rely on the judgement of politicians, who absolutely are not voted for on the basis of their judgement. To listen to the static about Wilders and Le Pen one would think they plan to force anything on their populations but nothing could be further from the truth–referenda are just 100% opinion polls and nothing beats that for sovereignty.

    2. hefner
      February 9, 2017

      I do not agree: the UK is a representative democracy. We elect our MPs and trust them to represent us to the best of their qualifications/knowledge/understanding using the information made available to them, information very often not available to the common person.
      Even if I am convinced that Parliament would benefit for a somewhat more proportional representation, and even if I do not often agree with Mr Redwood, I trust him much more than I would any non-elected nobody. I would not trust the common sense of the mob.

      1. Mike Wilson
        February 9, 2017

        the UK is a representative democracy

        Who says? I want my MP to be a delegate of the majority. Our ‘representatives’ have ignored the wishes of the people on Europe for decades and now look where it has got us. Every loss of sovereignty should have been subject of a referendum. If that had happened and we had said ‘no’ to Maastricht and Lisbon – we wouldn’t be in the mess we are in now and nor would the EU.

      2. Leslie Singleton
        February 9, 2017

        Dear hefner–We know what it is–The question is whether it should be–To label the whole population as the mob is not a sensible way of putting it–What has what JR is like got to do with what most of the other MP’s are like?

      3. Denis Cooper
        February 10, 2017

        Normally we leave it to our elected representatives, exceptionally they refer a particular question to us the body of citizens for our decision. Exceptionally, and in general very reluctantly on their part. In my opinion if we had been allowed a referendum on each of the successive treaties that radically changed the character of the EEC/EC/EU then it would not have developed as it did, and probably there would still be majority support for staying in it.

      4. Handbags
        February 10, 2017

        I agree.

        We employ a brain surgeon for his expertise and knowledge – there’s no way the man-in-the-street could match his judgement even with a 100% majority vote.

        A representative democracy is the best system – I just wish we could develop a way to discipline the MP’s who refuse to carry out the will of the majority of their constituents.

  5. ChrisS
    February 8, 2017

    I watched the final votes on Wednesday evening and have to admit that I always had some doubt as to whether we would ever see this day.

    Congratulations to everyone who has fought for and supported the cause for so long.

    It is rare indeed for a small group of democrats to be able to persuade enough people to vote for a life-changing issue of such magnitude against the overwhelming might of the Establishment, all three of the (then)* major Political Parties, the Press, the Broadcast Media and even the ex-President of the USA.

    Such was the support in the elected House that Their Lordships simply dare not interfere with bill. If they do, a General Election will follow as night follows day and the Conservative, UKIP and Labour Manifestos will all contain proposals to abolish the Upper Chamber.

    * ( The LibDems hardly count as a major party any more).

    1. Mark B
      February 9, 2017

      A General Election will not effect the Lords. Only putting in more Lords who will vote for it can change things.

      More fun and games to come.

    2. Lifelogic
      February 9, 2017

      The Libdims are however a reliable indicator as to what is a wrong header policy. This on nearly very issue but occasionally on civil liberties. Rather like the BBC.

    3. getahead
      February 9, 2017

      Chris, as I said to Mick above, it ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings.

      I’m still praying that the Lords don’t wish to be dissolved.

  6. Roger Parkin
    February 8, 2017

    John we owe you our thanks for the terrific effort you have put in both in and out of Parliament to help ensure the return of our sovereignty. I am confident that our future will be bright now that we have regained control of our destiny.

    1. Lifelogic
      February 9, 2017

      Agreed, but we have not regained it yet, we shall see what happens!

    2. hefner
      February 9, 2017

      … we also owe Gina Miller some thanks, don’t you think so?

      1. zorro
        February 9, 2017

        I am waiting for her to start skipping and dancing in the streets as her stand has been vindicated….. Right?…..Thought not ?

        zorro

      2. libertarian
        February 9, 2017

        hefner

        Dont be stupid. Ms Miller tried to buy access to the law to change a democratic vote. That I’m afraid proved without doubt why people are sick of the current political order. All that happened is she wasted yet more tax payers money that could have been spent on something useful

        1. Mark
          February 10, 2017

          It was probably useful that the Supreme Court established that the SNP aren’t entitled to their own separate deal or veto.

          1. libertarian
            February 10, 2017

            If we are going to have government by judges I think we are on a very slippery slope

          2. hefner
            February 11, 2017

            Libertarian,
            Don’t be stupid: the UK with its Parliament (usually) debating proposals by the Government has very little in common with the US system where the President issues executive orders which can only be refrained/opposed by the Courts.
            If you were serious and would look how often in the UK a government decision is referred to a court, even less often to the Supreme Court, you might realize how ridiculous your comment simply is.
            Have a good day.

      3. Denis Cooper
        February 10, 2017

        What, for getting eight Supreme Court judges to say that the European Union Referendum Act 2015 should have said what would ensue from a referendum vote to leave the EU?

        A point which was repeatedly raised by observers outside Parliament from the very day in May 2013 when the Tory party first published its draft Bill for a referendum:

        http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/14_05_13_draft_referendum.pdf

        but ignored by those inside Parliament despite many hours of debate when the government Bill was being passed.

  7. John
    February 8, 2017

    Well done John and the others for batting on this most horrid of a wicket for so long, even longer than Geoff Boycott could ever have managed.

    Fantastic!!

  8. Anonymous
    February 8, 2017

    Newmania would do well to remember that only 34% of the population voted to Remain in the EU.

    Of that 34% a large proportion agree that the referendum result should be upheld and that ignoring that result is a greater evil than leaving the EU. (Parliament agrees with me.)

    I’d be surprised if Newmania could muster 15% of the population in support of his position.

  9. JimS
    February 8, 2017

    A fresh start needs a new Speaker?

    1. turboterrier
      February 9, 2017

      @ JimS

      Not only a new speaker but a large number of politicians who still refuse to get behind the people and the government.

      lord Hain on Newsight last night was a wonderful advertisement for why the Hof L should be dissolved. Totally highlighted the concerns a lot of us have over the second chamber.

  10. fedupsoutherner
    February 8, 2017

    Well I heard it here first. Was watching the 10pm news to find out this important news and yet nothing on about it. Hip, hip, hooray!! Well done to you and those who voted with you.

  11. fedupsoutherner
    February 8, 2017

    I heard it on your blog first John. Nothing yet on the 10pm news.

  12. Stuart K
    February 8, 2017

    We should raise a glass tonight to Dr Redwood and all those who have kept tbe dream of a free Britain alive over the past few decades. Now, it is onwards and upwards! There should be no limits on what we can achieve as a country.

  13. Chris
    February 8, 2017

    Just amazing. Well done, Mr Redwood, and fellow patriots. You are right, it is of immense significance that the will of the people was listened to, promises were kept, and these promises have been acted upon.

  14. Ed Mahony
    February 8, 2017

    ‘Western European leader’ – i meant leader form the West / America.

  15. turboterrier
    February 8, 2017

    Now the real fight begins but at least we have the perception that the majority of the house is on our side. You must be a very proud man tonight John

    So pathetic that the SNP members had no respect for the ethos of the house. Totally pathetic the singing of the EU anthem. Shows them for what they are pathetic, and second rate spoilt children. Totally disgraceful. They should be taken down a peg or two. What an advert for the House of Westminster and more importantly the country they are supposed to represent. Utterly pathetic

    I just hope that the other house sees the need to respond in a manner that the electorate expects.

  16. Newmania
    February 8, 2017

    Parliament has shown itself to be utterly worthless, failing to represent moderate opinion and taking a course set only by the immediate strategic needs of the Parties. It has sickened and nauseated people across the country to see nothing but self serving cowardice and a willingness to adopt any position that works today.
    At least we are not obliged to accept this National and International disgrace has any legitimacy
    Tell you what , when Turkey joins the EU , as promsied , then we`ll leave , how about that . Seems fair to me

    1. Mark B
      February 9, 2017

      My I kindly remind you that we are still members of the EU and, thanks to the Maastricht Treaty you are still an EU Citizen and, are able to move, live and work in any number of the other 27 countries. But I doubt you will.

    2. alte fritz
      February 9, 2017

      We joined the EEC even though Heath pledged that we would not do so without “the full hearted consent of the British people”. He and his allies knew exactly what was planned. We were plunged into the EU disaster on the back of a lie and emerge from it step by painful step. Hooray!

    3. Anonymous
      February 9, 2017

      Hopefully, Dr Redwood will publish the calculation I used to make an educated guess that you represent only 8% of the population with your view, Newmania.

      The vast majority of Remain voters disagree with you that the Brexit result should be resisted and have the conviction to stand against it. This is evident in the number of swing votes in favour of Art 50 yesterday.

      I have been remiss in not thanking Dr Redwood for his efforts towards this outcome. Doubtless several of his powerful speeches helped.

      THANK YOU Dr Redwood.

    4. Oggy
      February 9, 2017

      @Newmania – We are already leaving pal, no need to wait for anyone.

      As regards your idea of legitimacy – all this was acheived through democratic process – something you find hard to swallow because the result wasn’t what you wanted – tough !
      I imagine ‘your pals’ Miller and Mullins are equally distraught as they thought they could stop Brexit using the courts.

    5. Cliff. Wokingham.
      February 9, 2017

      That is one way to look at it I suppose.
      When you say moderate opinion, you actually mean YOUR opinion, which I feel is far from moderate and somewhat blinkered.
      Why do the left only believe in democracy and liberalism as long as people support their opinion and agenda?
      The country voted by a majority to leave the EU. Every British adult had a single vote and we voted to leave. This has nothing to do with party politics nor constituencies. The majority of people who could be bothered to vote, voted out and that is what Parliament backed. In my view, given the nature of the one person one vote on a single issue, it should not have even needed to go to Parliament for any approval after the vote had been cast by the people.

      As you mature, you will learn that sometimes we all have to accept things we don’t like. I have had to accept the EU project since 1972 although I didn’t want to be in it. In a democracy, you have to go along with the majority and, in my opinion, the leave vote win has far more legitimacy than a “normal” general election because far more people voted to leave than would vote for a government. I think most governments only have thirty odd percent of the popular vote whereas, the leave vote had fifty-two percent.

    6. Iain Moore
      February 9, 2017

      As most nations in the world value their sovereignty and independence , then that is the normal, moderate state. The EU is the abnormal and extreme state.

      As to being ‘fair’ , well only in an EUphiles opinion, which is one of not having a mandate for their project, and ignoring the will of the people, ,

    7. Mitchel
      February 9, 2017

      “Parliament has shown itself to be utterly worthless…..”

      99 years ago Lenin,having failed-by a large margin-to get his party a majority in Russia’s first ever parliamentary elections,announced that that assembly was dissolved because he knew the will of the people better than the people.Trotsky’s Red Guards were sent in to clear his opponents out.

      Just as well you don’t have any Red Guards at your disposal!

    8. Brigham
      February 9, 2017

      Quite right Newmaniac. How dare parliament enact the will of the British people, when they could be like a good democrat, like you.

  17. Man of Kent
    February 8, 2017

    Thank Goodness !
    With many thanks to you, our perceptive and single-minded host , and the many Brexiteers who have persisted for so long .

    So many of the Remainers remind me of many Whigs in 1815 when the news of our victory at Waterloo came through .
    One titled lady commented to another ,
    ‘ Oh dreadful news , we have won a famous victory !’

  18. sm
    February 8, 2017

    John, you will know more than most what a long, hard slog it has been to get us here.

    Thank you.

  19. Anonymous
    February 8, 2017

    475 MPs voted to Remain in the EU.

    353 of the MPs who had voted to Remain in the EU, this evening, voted to uphold the Brexit result. (122 had enough conviction to stand by their original vote – 36% of the original 475)

    34% of the voting population voted to Remain in the EU.

    36% of 34% = 12.24%

    I posit, therefore, that Newmania only has 12.24% support in ignoring the Referendum and is in a far weaker position than his loud and offensive volume would indicate.

    Hardly the ‘coup’ he complained of earlier.

    1. Anonymous
      February 8, 2017

      Oh dearie me ! I appear to have miscalculated.

      Let’s try again:

      353 of 475 is 74% (rounded down) so 26% of Remain MPs stuck by their referendum vote (not 36% as first stated)

      26% of 34% = 8.84% of the voting population.

      (This is assuming that the voting population would uphold the referendum result in the same proportion as MPs.)

      A mere 8.84% of the population want to defy the referendum.

  20. Pauline Jorgensen
    February 8, 2017

    HURRAH

  21. Peter Dennis
    February 8, 2017

    Can all the Europeans sleep well tonight bearing in their protection was rejected ?

  22. Owen
    February 9, 2017

    Does anyone know what became of the complaint to the DPP by the group led by Professor bob Watt of the University of Buckingham ?

    1. Lifelogic
      February 9, 2017

      No I cannot find much.

      But the lies, dishonesty, sloping the pitch and cheating from the remain side were far more pernicious.

      What about Theresa May, as a long serving home secretary, blithely assuring voters they had control of their borders (even while in the EU) through Schengen? What about the promise to serve notice the next day from Cameron, the leaflet sent at tax payers expense, the punishment budget threat from the IHT ratter, the drivel from Carney & the treasury, the absurd claims made for Cameron’s useless deal ……..

  23. formula57
    February 9, 2017

    It is pleasing that Parliament has done its duty: rather less so that a number of M.P.s thought it appropriate to attempt to defy the will of the people.

  24. Tad Davison
    February 9, 2017

    Good.

    But anyone who thinks those nasty old remainiacs are going to lie down and not constantly throw spanners in the works at any and every opportunity, are sadly mistaken.

    I have been fighting these people for many decades, and they won’t stop. They are like crazed animals whose instinct is always to escape, except, in their case, they are conditioned to think that everything about the EU is good, and it is our ultimate destiny and salvation to belong to it in body and soul. They have been eaters of the Lotus fruit for so long, it has altered their entire mentality and they can no longer recognise the truth.

    We are talking dangerous irrational people. Beware, for their reach, and their malevolent intent is boundless, and their mind is closed to any rational debate, or even the wealth of evidence that is set firmly against them.

    Tad Davison

    Cambridge

  25. Prigger
    February 9, 2017

    Article 50 is still not signed and sent. The promise it would be done was for 24th June 2016.

    1. Tad Davison
      February 9, 2017

      Yeah, and the particular rat who promised that article 50 would be signed the next day if Leave won, jumped ship rather than have the guts to see it through.

      I was warned by some very senior and eminent people when he first became leader that he was an opportunist, then suddenly, when there was nothing left to milk, and his judgement had been shown to be questionable, he got out. It’s about time the people of the United Kingdom showed the exit door to all the other discredited remainiacs too!

      Tad

      1. Mick
        February 10, 2017

        Hi Tad, the door will start to shut on the undemocratic in two weeks time at the by-elections, good by – lib/???, Labour, con, eu lovers

  26. E.S Tablishment
    February 9, 2017

    If Parliament were a normal place of work where the rest of us have to work, the Remainers would have been suspended from their duties within a week of 23rd June 2016 and dismissed soon after.
    For the most part, sacking the SNP would actually improve Scotland’s prospects and give the SNP MPs a fresh start to make something useful of themselves.

  27. Eh?
    February 9, 2017

    JR you are very charitable. No British person ( of course including British MPS ) COULD think we would throw out genuine EU citizens who have been living and working here for some time.

    Remoaner MPs would not have sought some of the amendments proposed except as a political tool to thwart or interfere with Brexit.
    There were observably one or two MPs, only, genuinely emotional and fearful for the plight of EU citizens. I fear these MPs despite their citizenship as British, even born here, have not properly assimilated in KNOWING and FEELING our British values.We should be aware that love of our country comes from the heart, not from writing in a passport nor, unfortunately, we should have learned by now, even by being born here.The Government has sacrificed all that is meant by “British born and bred” on the music-hall illusionists’altar of diversity. It is a trick!

  28. Iain Gill
    February 9, 2017

    Does the home secretary realise that the big outsourcers have increased the numbers of Bulgarians they are bringing in, in an attempt to build up a stockpile of workers, to be used to undercut and displace Brits from the workforce. Why is she writing letters promising to allow all EU nationals to stay?

    1. hefner
      February 9, 2017

      … a lot of those big outsourcers being very proper British subjects.

    2. Tom William
      February 9, 2017

      Surely any guarantee should only apply to those actually in the UK at the timeof the referendum.

      1. Sir Joe Soap
        February 9, 2017

        Erm

        In the UK working or supporting themselves with a place of abode…

      2. Iain Gill
        February 9, 2017

        Letter from home secretary to conservative MP’s don’t mention that.

    3. libertarian
      February 10, 2017

      Iain Gill

      Do you have ANY evidence at all for this? How about posting a link to the data?

  29. DaveM
    February 9, 2017

    Mr Redwood,

    Most of Parliament understood. However, there is a cohort which clearly has no respect for our Parliament or its authority. Rounds of applause, whistling to show disagreement with a Parliamentary vote. Fortunately, that kind of behaviour – which would be unacceptable in a primary school assembly – only further helps to discredit those MPs who displayed it. However, how much worse is it going to be allowed to get before someone does something about it?

  30. Duncan
    February 9, 2017

    Yesterday felt historic, momentous and emotional. Our great country is to be an independent, sovereign nation once again.

    We have many people to thank but it is to the British people and their sense of infinite wisdom and national pride that we should extend our most eternal gratitude for saving this great nation from the grasping clutches of a pernicious organisation whose primary aim is the destruction of nation states and the creation of a dependency

    Thanks Mr Redwood for being a decent and good politician. You have served this nation and its people with honour and honesty. You are too be applauded for your fortitude and steadfastness

    1. Oggy
      February 9, 2017

      Well said Duncan. I couldn’t have put it any better.

  31. David Price
    February 9, 2017

    Excellent result, well done.

  32. Lifelogic
    February 9, 2017

    The people’s will has prevailed. Well not yet we have the lords and the end game in two year time shortly before an election.

    Does ex(?) remainer Mrs May really have the ability and motivation to finish the game. I am very far from convinced.

    Her lefty, interventionist lunacy (and high tax borrow and waste) in most other areas will clearly have damaged the economy hugely by the next election.

  33. JoolsB
    February 9, 2017

    Hasn’t it got to get through the Lords yet? Should be interesting seeing as 850 unelected cronies and has beens are even more pro-remain than the Commons.

  34. Brian Tomkinson
    February 9, 2017

    Well done. Commons has implemented the will of the people. Disgraceful that many of those who voted to thwart that instruction to leave the EU ended by singing the EU ‘anthem’ in the House. They have shown their loyalties lie with a foreign organisation rather than our own country and its people. Some might call that treason.

  35. Richard1
    February 9, 2017

    is there a danger of Labour ditching Corbyn? Let’s have a general election quickly before target get round to it – not that they will have any chance under ‘public good private bad’ shadow ‘business’ secretary Mr Lewis.

  36. alan jutson
    February 9, 2017

    Good news, now lets get on with it, and get out, before the EU disintegrates any further and we are asked for more bail out money.

    Thank you for all of your hard work and fortitude.

    Perhaps we will now have some parliamentary time left to sort out the foreign aid disaster programme.

    So many things to do such little time.

    I wish our Prime Minister good fortune.

  37. SessionsIn
    February 9, 2017

    Tried to lower the tone with a giant smiley face in the comments box.
    Wouldn’t work.
    So have a “Well done” instead.

  38. Ian Wragg
    February 9, 2017

    Can we please get Sourby off the television. Every 5 minutes yesterday she was lecturing on how wrong we were to vote leave. You could sense the sneer in her voice implying we shouldn’t have been given a vote because we are thick.
    Lord King has a good article in the business section of the Telegraph. He at least understands.

  39. rapscallion
    February 9, 2017

    “Yesterday felt historic, momentous and emotional. Our great country is to be an independent, sovereign nation once again.”

    Indeed, and I wholeheartedly concur. It’s a great feeling

    The one person we should all be thanking, and one who will NEVER receive the official plaudits he so thoroughly deserves is Nigel Farage. Without his persistence over 25 years we would never have been got the referendum in the first place.

  40. Brexit Facts4EU.org
    February 9, 2017

    Dr Redwood, we would like to add our warm congratulations and thanks to those you’ve already received from your readers.

    Out of interest, the result in percentage terms was 80.2% for and 19.8% against – important as this gives a clear message to the rest of the EU.

    As usual we’ve written more about this on our website, as well as a piece on the SNP’s humming of ‘Ode to Joy’ whilst awaiting their defeat.

    Best wishes, the pro-Brexit Facts4EU.Org Team
    http://facts4eu.org/news.shtml

  41. Bert Young
    February 9, 2017

    An important event was reached in the history of this country yesterday ; another step for man , another step for the people . Nigel Farage and all the real movers need to give themselves a big pat on the back ; I congratulate them all with a special ” Thankyou ” to John .

  42. Lifelogic
    February 9, 2017

    At last, but why did May not put this bill before the house a few days after she became leader (by default and thanks to Gove foolish stabbing of Boris and himself)?

    What was the point of the 5 months of dithering and the legal actions?

    1. Mark
      February 10, 2017

      I think in the end it was better to let the legal actions of protest go through, so there was no post hoc dispute as to whether action taken was legal or not. It also drew out end eliminated the plea for a Scottish veto. No real time has been lost, because DEXEU have been up to their eyeballs in preparation work.

      1. Lifelogic
        February 10, 2017

        That ignores Parkinson’s reliable law the

        “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”,

  43. agricola
    February 9, 2017

    I hope that the very conclusive will of the people registers in the minds of the EU in Brussels. One hopes that it concentrates their minds on what can be lost or gained for Europe by getting the forthcoming negotiations wrong. It will be a time for pragmatic wisdom, and I hope they show it. A broken EU is of no use to any of us.

  44. a-tracy
    February 9, 2017

    I don’t know, Denis Cooper is alarmed about the EEA and that makes me wary, when Denis smells a rat there is usually one there.

  45. William Long
    February 9, 2017

    It was indeed a great moment and the size of the majority must give the House of Lords ( for it is only one House that has agreed so far) reason to pause. I wish however that I could be as confident as you seem to be that the Lords do not try to amend the Bill out existence without actually voting it down. The ‘upper’ house now seems to be packed with the previous prime minister very much to blame) with self satisfied nonentities many of whom have in common with the ‘Brussels elite’ the clear view that the experts know better than the people. I should like to be proved wrong but I fear it is premature to be sure that it is all over bar the shouting!

    1. Mark
      February 10, 2017

      As I understand it, any amendments the Lords try to impose can simply be voted down in the Commons under “ping pong”, leaving the bill as it is now to be presented to the Queen for signature.

  46. Denis Cooper
    February 9, 2017

    “But how can the unelected House reject the will of the people in the referendum and the will of the Commons by such a big majority?”

    Easily; many of them think ordinary voters are fools and while they are exalted repositories of great wisdom and so they have a duty to save the people from their folly.

    Baroness Wheatcroft said as much last August.

  47. Juliet
    February 9, 2017

    Good and finally moving forward.

    Now Article 50 needs to be invoked before 31 March deadline otherwise it will forfeit the exit.

    Vast numbers of EU nationals and families from eastern europe moving into the UK since the referendum, the biggest increase just over the New Year will become a even bigger migration problem if nothing is done to curb it.

  48. Shieldsman
    February 9, 2017

    How do we move on from here?
    The EU is so hide bound by its rules, it is incapable of compromise and amending them to salvage a failing situation – the departure of the UK.

    To turn round and say you are leaving the Union, we will therefore treat you as a third Country outside of any trading agreements does not make sense.

    Parliament has at last seen sense and realised there is no going back, Article 50 must be triggered. A sensible European Union could have retained the UK as a member. Instead of turning David Cameron away with no concessions on freedom of movement, they had been conciliatory.

    Politically and financially the EU member states are unstable at the moment, and as has been shown the rule book cannot be applied as punishment.

    I do not believe that all the rules for EEA trading cease when we leave the EU, as many were agreed internationally, and through organisations such as the OECD of which we retain membership.

  49. a-tracy
    February 9, 2017

    Perhaps your party can get on with some domestic matters now.
    Could you look at the Oldham technical college that is having to close being turned into a grammar school as a test case in a socially deprived area.
    I read an article yesterday about an ex-council block of flats purchased at low cost by the long-term social rental tenants grandchildren and they all made a pretty penny razing the flats, doubling the number of flats and giving themselves much bigger living space everyone was happy with double the size and living space on the same floor plan. Why don’t the London housing associations copy this model but for the benefit of the State renters of the future rather than enriching the children of previous social tenants who got lucky with your right to buy cheap.

  50. Denis Cooper
    February 9, 2017

    Hands up all those English people who would like immigration into England to be under the effective control of the SNP in Scotland, as they are demanding:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/09/snp-mps-sing-ode-joy-brexit-bill-vote/

    “SNP MPs told off for singing Ode To Joy during Brexit Bill vote”

  51. Roy Grainger
    February 9, 2017

    The celebrations are premature. This is just the first skirmish in the war.

  52. John Finn
    February 9, 2017

    John I caught some of your speech yesterday during which you were questioned by an opposition MP who raised the issue of the UK’s relatively poor export record to the rest of the world compared to say Germany. He made the same point which has been troubling me, i.e. what will be different after we leave.

    You made the not unreasonable point that Germany has been exporting capital goods to developing economies such as China while the UK is a service based economy and our opportunities will come later. Fine – though I’d like to see some proof of this effect.

    However, I notice that Germany exports far more to Australia than the UK does. I find this surprising given (a) Australia is surely a ‘mature’ economy and (b) the UK should have the advantages of language and history/culture.

    It would appear that the UK’s problem is that it simply doesn’t produce enough “world class” products. That won’t be fixed by leaving the EU.

  53. Tom William
    February 9, 2017

    I think we should also remember Jimmy Goldsmith, founder of the Referendum Party and the seed from which Brexit grew.

    1. Mark B
      February 9, 2017

      Hear hear.

    2. Denis Cooper
      February 10, 2017

      Indeed.

  54. Ed Mahony
    February 9, 2017

    Also, can we have a new building for Parliament?

    – Restoration of old building too expensive (and selling of old building could be used for tourism, hotels and business to make London even more alluring to visitors – both tourists and workers in the City).
    – New, smaller, more modest building, in London, would re-brand the UK as a thriving 21st century country, dynamic and flexible, no longer overshadowed by its anachronistic 19th century, Empire past – and building on the best traditions of the past in terms of both modern and traditional architecture with nods to Palace of Wesminster.
    – Call the Parliament Churchill House after Winston Churchill, and build Parliament to reflect what’s best about the past, and reject the rest, and what we hope for in the future.
    – Build the Parliament so that it incorporates the whole country, in some way.

    1. Ed Mahony
      February 9, 2017

      And if built in front of the river, please, please, please can we have a garden bridge with low-lying buildings along one side of it like the Ponte Vecchio (with buildings on the Eastern side so you get the afternoon son on the Western side) and a beautiful colourful, old-fashioned Prague-Bern-like Clock Tower, on the end of the bridge, on the southern side (with the sun lighting it up).

      I mean if we can waste £1 billion building the hideous Millennium Dome surely we can spend £300 or 400 million on a beautiful bridge, with clock tower, in front of our new Parliament?

      1. rose
        February 10, 2017

        Yes to the bridge.

        1. Ed Mahony
          February 11, 2017

          ‘Ponte Vecchio buildings on Eastern side’ – running along the Eastern side of the bridge.

  55. ian
    February 9, 2017

    The first of many great victories to come for the english people as they turn there attention to the HOC in years to come to weed out useless MPs who say they represent them in the labour party and the con party.

  56. PaulDirac
    February 9, 2017

    I still pinch myself every time we get good BREXIT news.
    I suppose we should also give our thanks to Cameron, not, I hasten to say, that he is suspected of wanting this result.

    Thanks Dr. Redwood, without you and your fellow democrats this would have stayed a dream.

  57. rose
    February 9, 2017

    “I was impressed by the size of the vote to leave, and the scale of the majority.”

    I knew something wonderful must have happened because Faisal Islam was looking shell-shocked and as if he had had a major bereavement.

    Many, many congratulations and heartfelt thanks to you, Bill Cash, Oliver Letwin, Jacob Rees Mogg, Mark Harper, Dominic Raab, the loyal Ulstermen, and all the others who manned the barricades through those three days of danger.

  58. Mike Wilson
    February 9, 2017

    Mr. Redwood (or anyone else familiar with the process) … could you give us a brief, perhaps bullet point list of the progress of a bill. I think the Commons has voted on this bill already (a number of times?) – what does ‘first reading’, ‘second reading’ etc. actually mean? Now it seems it is the Lords turn but how many times can they send it back to the Commons? When they do this is sent back to the Commons amended by the Lords? Do the Commons then have to vote again? How long will this take if it has to go back and forth and we end up having to invoke the Parliament Act?

    1. Mike Wilson
      February 9, 2017

      When they do this is sent back to the Commons amended by the Lords? Do the Commons then have to vote again?

      Sorry, that gibberish should say ..

      When they send a bill back to the Commons, with amendments, does the Commons have to vote again?

  59. Mike Wilson
    February 9, 2017

    One has to applaud the level of debate, I have listened to much of it over the last few days on the Parliament Channel. It almost restores one’s faith in MPs.

    But, it has to be said, are the likes of Chukka Umunna and Chris Leslie serious? They argue that Parliament must get to vote on the deal and, if they vote ‘No’ the government must go back to the EU and have another go! Have they EVER been involved in any sort of negotiation in their lives? Are they really so naïve? If we adopted their position, the EU will give us very little knowing that Parliament will never accept a deal and we would go back to them looking for more and they would say ‘no’. What then? Just forget about it all and go back to business as usual.

    1. rose
      February 10, 2017

      They are not naive. They are operators. They are filibustering and fouling things up. They hope by their various ruses to keep us in.

  60. adam
    February 9, 2017

    Is the BBC lacking a mission at the moment? It seems to be a permanent lobbying agency for the NHS. There are an endless list of health emergencies and the solution is always more funding.

  61. Lindsay McDougall
    February 9, 2017

    Nevertheless, this Parliament contains a 3:1 majority in the Commons inclined to Remain and a 6:1 majority in the Lords. These are people who were quite happy for the UK to become a province – or several Lander – in a German dominated European Federal SuperState.

    They are not to be trusted, anymore than Baldwin, Halifax or Chamberlain were to be trusted. Sooner or later there will be a sustained attempt to make us join the European Economic Area and there will be plenty of wrecking amendments to the Great Repeal Bill.

    Parliament will be given a take-it-or-leave-it vote on the Draft Final agreement with the EU (if there is one). Perhaps it would be better if it were not this parliament. The House of Lords could be changed by the appointment of 500 Eurosceptic peers and a lowering of the compulsory retirement age to 65. Changing the House of Commons will need the defeat of Labour in by-elections by Conservatives or UKIP, complemented by wholesale reselection, followed by an early General Election.

    This present House of Commons will oppose an early general election. It may be that Conservative MPs may have to force one by voting No Confidence in their own Government, immediately after a Draft Agreement is published. The Draft Agreement would then be put to the new Commons.

  62. Edward2
    February 9, 2017

    Thank you Mr Redwood
    I watched the Parliament debate as history was made.
    Your contribution to the debate was great.
    Eloquent logical and fair.
    Freedom awaits and a bright future.
    I love Europe and European people
    It’s the EU I dislike.

  63. stred
    February 10, 2017

    The vote was good news and when, after 9 months of delay by pro-EU lawyers, the exit process starts the HoC will have to assert its sovereignty over the unelected subversive forces such as top lawyers, broadcast media and Lords. Lord Kerr, who wrote A50 has been busy persuading people that it is reversible and that it should be.

    It seems that the Loudspeaker thinks he can decide who can speak in Westminster, rather than elected MPs and that he will decide whether he stays in his posh flat. Perhaps parliament needs to change the rules now that the system has been abused.

  64. Freeborn John
    February 10, 2017

    The UK must quickly tell the EU that this £49bn they want is not only a non-starter but that we will not pay them a penny to leave the EU. The Uk has to walk away from Brexit talks and trade on WTO terms if they only think the EU can come up with after 8 months thinking is to mug us.

    No other country is being asked to pay tens of billions for overspend in the EU 2014-2020 budget and we should not have to pay for any EU spending after we leave in 2019. I don’t see the EU volunteering to pay the pensions of the army of civil servants in the UK whose job it was to enforce EU regulations and don’t see why we should pay the pensions of their employees.

    1. rose
      February 10, 2017

      “and don’t see why we should pay the pensions of their employees.”

      People here seem to think we should as they are our people. But they are not. They sold their souls to the EU and their loyalty. some took oaths to the EU and not the Queen. They continue to display their loyalty to the EU rather than us.

      1. alan jutson
        February 11, 2017

        rose

        Absolutely Agree, when you leave your place of employment your pension contributions stop.

        They were employed by the EU, thus when they leave their employment with the EU their pension contributions stop as do their salaries, its so very simple.

        When they take up a new position with a new employer, pension contributions start again with that new employer.

        I cannot understand why supposedly sensible people are even starting to argue for any 0ther position !

  65. Lamia
    February 10, 2017

    Mr Redwood,

    about 25 years ago, when I was in my early twenties, I could not really understand what you and a number of other MPs were on about regarding Europe, and like many I thought you odd and probably misguided. As I’ve learned more about the EU over the past fifteen years, I’ve come to understand what you were saying and why, and a few months before the referendum I finally gave up on my long-standing hope that a very flawed EU could or would ever be reformed into something acceptable. I voted Leave.

    I want to thank you, particularly, along with a sadly small but indomitable number of MPs from all parties who over the decades have warned and fought against the handing over of British sovereignty to the EU. You all put up with being unfairly called cranks and bigots, and it must often have been deflating. Sadly a number of you did not live to see the day when the British people took their country back, but you and those others who did deserve to be proud of yourselves. You’ve done your country a great service. Thank you again.

  66. APL
    February 11, 2017

    JR: “Parliament voted 494 to 122 to notify the European Union of our intention to leave.”

    A small but significant point. The Commons voted 494 to 122 to notify the European Union of our intention to leave.

    There is a difference, which you’d think a Parliamentarian would be aware of.

  67. Bob
    February 14, 2017

    WHY is Parliament signing up to the European Unitary Patent when we are supposed to be LEAVING the EU? It blatantly makes us subordinate to the European Court.

    John sign this EDM and stop the madness!
    http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2016-17/940

    http://www.nounitarysoftwarepatents.uk/

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