Tomorrow Parliament has to decide whether it wishes to serve the people or defy them.
Parliament promised the electorate a referendum. It enacted one. It promised to enact the decision of the UK people. After much huffing and puffing it sent the Article 50 letter to leave the EU. After even more regrets and Parliamentary objections it passed the EU Withdrawal Act to confirm in UK law our departure on the 29 March 2019. If it wishes to serve the people it will now concentrate on making a success of our departure and do everything it can to use the new freedoms, money and controls we gain by exit.
Instead there are determined factions within Parliament who want to stop Brexit altogether, or who seek to delay or undermine it in the name of a having a so called  soft Brexit, partial Brexit, late Brexit or half in half out Brexit. They have tried before to persuade the Parliament that we should stay in the Customs Union we voted to leave, and lost the votes. They have tried before to say we should stay in the single market or closely aligned to it though we voted to leave it, and again lost the votes. Both Remain and Leave made crystal clear in the referendum leaving the EU meant leaving both single market and customs union. The UK government sent a leaflet to every household telling us just that. The EU has always said that. The EU says you cannot cherry pick, you can’t stay in the bits some like about the EU without accepting lots of rules, costs and laws you may not like.
The forces of Remain in the Commons now dare to say they are the defenders of Parliamentary democracy, by wanting further debate and more votes. The irony is crushing, as they only want more debates and more votes to stop us regaining control of our laws, our borders and and our money. They refuse to accept that their view has been given more than three years of air time in the referendum and in the endless repetitious debates they have required us to hold. It dominates the airwaves of the conventional media, where the Just Leave cause is given little time, always interrupted, and always bookended by “experts”  saying we are wrong. A group of Remain MPs who spent our years in the EU telling us no one was interested in details of EU policy and did their best to stop Parliament talking about it now want to talk about nothing  else. MPs who told us the EU had no significant powers over us now tell us what the EU does is wide ranging and crucial.
The public think it is time Parliament got on with it. The majority do not want Parliament to reverse its Brexit legislation and keep us in. The public have spoken. Parliament promised. Parliament must now let us leave. To do otherwise is to go to war with the people.
January 28, 2019
A whole series of Leavers said we would not leave the single market, in fact they rubbished the very idea anyone would suggest doing anything so stupid – Gove, Paterson, Boris, Hannan, Farage etc
January 28, 2019
As you voted Remain your ideas about what Leavers said are totally irrelevant. If a single Leave voter complained I would listen. Likewise if 700,000 Leave voters marched for a second referendum (or if even one did) it would be relevant. But they didn’t. It is only Remain voters who are moaning.
January 28, 2019
@Roy Grainger; Nonsense, there were 28 different “Brexit” manifestos and groups, all campaigning quite legally for a Leave vote, indeed some of the leave options were debated on this very site, such as Flexcit.
How do you know Leave voters have not marched calling for a second referendum? Many who voted to leave wanted out of the Political aims of the EU, not the Economic aims, hence why some were talking about joining the EFTA or EEA, and why Vote Leave wanted (and expected) a full FTA to be in place on Brexit day +1.
Voting to leave did not equate to a vote for ‘Vote Leave’, or any other single group.
So what if Remain voters are moaning. Had Remain won I bet you would be complaining about Euro-federalist fanatics using what would have been a very restricted mandate to call for the UK to adopt the Euro and greater federalisation of the EU, and you would be right to do so because that is what living in a democracy allows.
January 28, 2019
Indeed Roy.
Leave voters were invited to the People’s Vote march so the Remain capital of Britain should have been able to offer far more than the turnout it got on a Saturday. Far lower than Remainers claim.
January 28, 2019
Correct Roy.
I read the government’s leaflet and listened to our PM who repeatedly said that leaving the EU meant leaving the CU and the SM.
January 28, 2019
Boris is getting more wobbly every day.
We rely on likes of John Redwood to stay strong. The Withdrawal Agreement is terrible even without the Backstop. If May is PM in two years’ time this will be THE deal.
Call the Remainers bluff. Do they really want to be seen to overturn Brexit? Does Jeremy Corbyn want to lose this opportunity to leave the European Union he has always hated?
January 28, 2019
According to a report in The Sun, May has already told ministers in private âNo Dealâ is off the table. She is keeping quiet to try to pressure the EU and mollify Leave MPs and voters.
We will end up with a form of Brexit in Name Only. All that remains to be seen is how we actually arrive there. The fix is in.
Leave voters will just have to wait to voice their displeasure at the next General Election.
January 28, 2019
My view is that displeasure at Parliament thwarting the instructions of the voters will be seen way before the next election if we do not actually leave the EU.
The Leaflet:-
“This is your decision.
We will implement what you decide”
January 28, 2019
The result will be a Corbyn government and the destruction of the Tory Party. God damn Mrs May.
January 28, 2019
‘Leave voters will just have to wait to voice their displeasure at the next General Election.’
And boy, oh boy, so we will do – in droves!
January 28, 2019
I am a remain voter, so my view obviously doesn’t count.
However, I am becoming tired of people making pronouncements about what the British people think – for or against.
Many people voted Brexit and Remain for many different reasons. I would be wary of saying ‘the British people’ think this, when you really mean ‘I think this.’
January 28, 2019
I’m a Leave voter. We voted to LEAVE the EU. The Customs Union and Single Market are the essence of the EU. Nor can we accept that the ECJ has any jurisdiction within this Realm. It isn’t complicated.
January 28, 2019
Margam
Did you not listen to the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the time, did you not read the leaflet which was pushed through every door in the Country at the tax payers expense.
All said leaving, meant leaving ALL aspects 0f the EU.
Good grief it was said enough times by enough people (including those you mention), Leave means leave, that’s why it was a simple question on the ballot paper.
January 28, 2019
They said we would have Access to the single market. Like the US, China and any other country willing to make stuff that complies with the EU regulations.
January 28, 2019
Margam
A whole series of remainers said it was stupid and wrong to believe there would be an EU army, remainer voters told us there would be 500,000 job losses and that the City would move to Paris.
Who looks the most stupid now? Oh its you
January 28, 2019
Margam, I don’t believe that is correct, certainly the leaflet sent to every home did say that a Leave vote would mean leaving the Single Market and thus there would be no point in remaining in The Customs Union.
Just to remind you a link to the leaflet below:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/515068/why-the-government-believes-that-voting-to-remain-in-the-european-union-is-the-best-decision-for-the-uk.pdf
January 28, 2019
Ukip got 3.9 million votes at the 2015 General Election; Leave got 17.4 million votes. Those 13.5 million people who oppose the EU but have not voted for Ukip are casually airbrushed away. Weâre told newspapers like the Daily Mail warped the massesâ minds with Europhobic nonsense. The Mail has a circulation of just 2.2 million. And 34 percent of its readers voted Remain. There are millions who donât read these papers and yet who voted Leave. Perhaps â and I know this might sound shocking â they thought for themselves?
I fully expected to be leaving the single market – the message I got from most Leave figures was that we would still be able to trade with it, which we will.
January 28, 2019
You are making the mistake on relying on Remain propaganda here. You should look at the Andrew Neil interview of James McGrory where he points out that McGrory cut and pasted snippets to make it SOUND like people like Patterson were advocating staying in the SM when in fact he was saying the exact opposite.
Remain lies for you.
January 28, 2019
We did our research before the referendum – we didn’t just listen to one voice. And we voted accordingly. We what was said about the SM and CU. We know what we voted for and, despite the propaganda churned out by the Remain side, we believe our decision was the right one.
Our mistake was in believing our Government would be honourable, as it promised to be in that ÂŁ9million pamphlet.
January 28, 2019
Margam. What absolute rubbish. We were all told we would leave the single market from day one.
January 28, 2019
Good morning.
Which begs the question. Would Remaining in the EU allow Parliament to debate and, if necessary, vote down any and all laws emanating from the EU ?
Because if it cannot then the main function of parliament is gone and, by extension, they have made themselves redundant to our needs.
January 28, 2019
Mark B
And if our parliament passed a law could the ECJ strike it down?
January 28, 2019
Good point.
EU Law takes primacy over UK Law, and that means the Palace of Westminster and our Head of State, the Queen.
January 28, 2019
Stand firm.
January 28, 2019
Sir John – If you plan to speak in the debate I hope you will find time to draw attention to the enormous cost of extending A50. Some plausible estimates put it in the high tens of billions of pounds.
As this will come from the public, it is important we know how much weâll have to pay for the privilege of being robbed, cheated and betrayed by our own servants.
January 28, 2019
Also, we really need to see the rest of the legal advice on the WA, as decreed by Parliament, and not just the backstop advice.
There are so many bear traps in the agreement, I’m surprised MPs, journalists, etc aren’t clamouring to see it.
January 28, 2019
Exactly as you say:- the irony is crushing they just want parliament to prevent parliament from regaining control of our laws, borders and money. The leave cause is always interrupted (and outnumbered, certainly on the BBC usually about 5 to 1) and bookended by BBC think âexpertsâ or failed politicians saying they are totally wrong.
To do otherwise is to go to war with the people. Furthermore it is likely to destroy the Tory Party and give us Corbyn/SNP and a trip to Venezuela. An appalling lack of leadership from the dim, socialist, electoral liability and giver of the highest taxes for 40 years Mrs T May has got us to this cul-de-sac.
How are we going to get out of it, not surrender to the EU, replace May with a real pro Brexit Conservative and win the next election? This surely is what must happen. The alternative of Corbyn and/or a Vassal State would be appalling.
January 28, 2019
Boris in the Telegraph today says May is fighting for a freedom clause over the backstop. Her deal needs far, far more than that Boris!
I foolishly just watched the Political Studies Association awards for 2018 on BBC iplayer introduced by John Snow. All the usual left, pro EU drivel and establishment wrong headed group think on display:-
David Lammy MP awarded Politician of the Year
Diana Johnson MP and Dominic Grieve recognised for their contribution to politics.
First-ever two people named as Journalist of the Year award: Carole Cadwalladr, The Observer, and Amelia Gentleman, The Guardian.
Michel Barnier recognised with International Recognition award.
I do not think they even realise how totally out of touch they are with real people.
January 28, 2019
LL – I have Googled the PSA and cannot find out how it is funded, although it appears to have begun with a grant from UNESCO in 1950.
I can only assume that the Awards programme you have just watched was the Association’s annual Comedy Night?
January 28, 2019
I don’t think any of the majority legacies are fit for purpose any more. We need radical reform of the parties and the voting system. Liberals have invaded and taken over the former Conservatives and Labour by the radical left!
We need a right of centre party and root and branch reform of the civil serpents. Political correctness needs to be taught as a cancer of ideaology that thwarts free speech and encourages outrageous behaviours and ideology against the norms and morals of society.
January 28, 2019
“…..a trip to Venezuela”
complete with a US neo-con backed coup?!
January 28, 2019
I agree with your analysis and conclusion. We will soon find out if members of Parliament are fit for purpose or not.
January 28, 2019
oldtimer
Agreed.
January 28, 2019
Many MPs have demonstrated repeatedly that they are unfit for purpose. If they were removed more efficiently by deselection, the overall quality of those who serve would be heightened.
January 28, 2019
Agreed.
February 2, 2019
Millions of people in the referendum appear to have voted Leave in the expectation that we could just leave with almost immediate effect. As if we could disentangle 40 years of EU membership overnight! Parliament has been trying to cope with this outbreak of mass stupidity. Most MPs have accepted Brexit, but haven’t accepted that we have to have a damaging deal-less departure. The biggest failure in the whole negotiating process has been the Prime Minister’s, for an inability to show leadership and to reach out beyond her party.
January 28, 2019
Wind farms could be built along HS2 route under confidential Government plans I read. There is no end to the stupidity, economic and scientific illiteracy of government.
To make this project even more idiotic, more economically idiotic and more of an eyesore one assumes. If one has to have wind farms (and we clearly do not) then they need to be places where the wind blows best, not as an adornment to a pointless and over priced rail track or new school or business park. Politicians and bureaucrats simply do not care how much of taxpayers money they waste, so long as they can virtue signal with endless green crap it seems.
January 28, 2019
Maybe Mr Clarke has been persuaded by his experts that the 250mph train will blow the rotors round as it goes past.
January 28, 2019
Fair point, as railways generally follow river valleys where there would be the least pressure, seems strange place to site wind generation.
January 28, 2019
Wind farms .. we have too many of them up in Scotland. As I understand it, a lot are put up because there has been a juicy subsidy to do so. A few miles up the road some extra ones are going up. Over 100 metres tall.
It can be breezy up here, but even when it is, a good proportion don’t move an inch.
January 28, 2019
Anything that can serve to bankrupt the UK is grist to the mill as far as the Maybot is concerned. You have to admire the sheer creativity on offer. There isn’t anything else to admire about her shenanigans.
January 28, 2019
L/L. You have never been more right in what you say. Unbelievable. Just what kind of party is governing this country? Are they all uneducated? One has to wonder.
January 28, 2019
Mr Redwood, precisely so.
January 28, 2019
Parliament, the media, big business and the top ranks of the civil service, police and forces are chock full of those that follow the instructions of Global government. The UN and EU govern beyond the authority of the plebs. The votes of the MPs who are in this group will be recorded and, when new political parties, now being formed, replace the collaborator parties, they will face justice. There will be too many to imprison and a less expensive and appropriate way of dealing with the problem will be necessary.
January 28, 2019
Quite right as you always are on this matter. It is astonishing what little regard some MPs have for true Parliamentary representation. I read you to keep up my spirits, because you continue to clearly and evidentially counteract the nonsence from Remaniacs. – who are not the representative of most Remainers.
January 28, 2019
Sir JR
Lots of good points raised.
“To go to war with the People”
A quote with quite a bit of exaggeration but you seem to be carried away during this debate.
January 28, 2019
France is at war with its people. But we dont know about that because the gilet jeaunes are subject to a D Notice. The establishment fear contagion.
January 28, 2019
Alexsandr,
This is your perception of what is gong on in France, for me it looks just like France the past 30 years and therefore no war
January 28, 2019
Breitbart online is covering it and it is frightening.
January 28, 2019
France at war with its people? The last time the gilets managed to get about 32 000 protestors onto the streets of the whole of France, incl Paris.
More of a damp squib.
January 30, 2019
margaret from the Guardian “Macronâs new fuel tax has led to weekly marches in Paris and across France, some ending in violent stand-offs between protesters and the police. On Saturday, for âAct XIâ (the rather portentous title given to the 11th protest) the yellow vests numbered 69,000 across France and 4,500 in Paris. Although down from the previous week, with 84,000 nationwide, the figures were higher than in December.” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/29/gilets-jaunes-france-chaos-elections
January 29, 2019
And Macron, for what heâs worth, is actually discussing with people in meetings where the big majority is made of gilets jaunes.
Do we see anything equivalent in here?
Maybe we might be better off looking at how beams and specks are distributed in peopleâs eyes on both sides of the Channel.
January 28, 2019
Have you not heard the term “war by other means”, often applied to statecraft and geoeconomics.
Our MPs and the establishment have been advancing the goals of the EU, another state, to strip our country and us of our sovereignty in control of our laws, taxes, borders, trade and international relations.
How is that not war by other means.
January 28, 2019
you are getting carried away I this day and age in an interdependent world sovereignty in the real meaning of the world no longer exists
January 29, 2019
@hcr – Go try that bullshit on Russia, India, France, Germany, China, Japan, the USA and the rest.
Our government is primarily responsible to our people for their welfare and protection first and last, just like any other government.
January 28, 2019
hans
I think the quote is quite accurate. Our political class cannot put the genie back in the bottle. Having proved conclusively they are lying two faced duplicitous weasels with not a shred of democratic belief , the aftermath of Brexit , which ever way it goes, will be a wholesale change to our democracy . Not before time too
January 28, 2019
Libertarian
Yes we need wholesale change but is that war?
January 28, 2019
Those MPs who oppose Brexit cause prolonged conflict, leading to a war of words against the democratic choice of UK people. Those anti-democrats should go from parliament not to war with the people in any way.
January 28, 2019
@ Hans Ivers,
For someone who has spent the better part of his political life to achieve something that could happen in a few weeks, any disruption of the march towards “no deal” (with the added benefit of making the anti-GFA minority in the NI very happy) it must be unbearable to watch serious attempts to undo this at the very last minute. If it does not work this time (leaving the EU and its structures) all that time spent in the political wilderness would appear wasted. I do not belong to those that ascribe opportunistic motives to all ERG members and I am certain that our host (belonging to my own generation) is not motivated in that way. I’ve read some of his work and agree with him that the UK should have left the EU integration process in 1992. However there are may diffrent ways of rectifying that and having seen the effcets of very radical change (ao to make change irreversible) in Eastern Europe and East Asia compared to more gradual, managed change, I would advise against the no-deal solutions I saw coming already two years ago. No deal would indeed embed the change much more radically and make room for a completely different Britain (like the Gorbachev revolution changed Russia). But at what transition cost?
In essence, for the majority of UK people and parliamentarians who are unhappy with continued EU membership the real questions should be:
– can a fractured politics govern “managed change” with the risk that the “reform” is undone by status quo reversion or is the only way to do it a “clean, irreversible break” despite the potential for disruption; (I cannot go into the added difficulty of also having to deal with treaty partners here)
– can a highly developed, post industrial society like the UK (or at least parts) withstand the stresses that are likely to occur in the case of a clean break.
Good policy (as for instance the World Bank would recommend to a less developed country, would be to take both into account. But that still requires a strong state.
January 28, 2019
The public have spoken. Parliament promised. Parliament must now let us leave. To do otherwise is to go to war with the people.
If the mps put there own self interest aside and got out of the Westminster bubble they would see and hear the anger in Britain, goes against us and you forfeit any rights to be in Parliament and will be removed one way or another, the remoaners by there actions have sowed the seeds of civil unrest, the people are sick to the back teeth of your total betrayal of the democratic vote and you will pay for it if you do not carry out our wish to leave the Eu and that means no back door deal to stay in a custom union or single market
January 28, 2019
Indeed. Mays withdrawal agreement is abject surrender and remain by alignment of everything else. We all know this is to bring us back in after the next 7 year budget round. Olly has been found wanting sitting on the same side of the table as his EU friends. Radical change is needed to clear thew swamp!
January 28, 2019
@Mick; “The public have spoken.”
Indeed and we will be leaving, just not how some wish, but that is their problem if they can not accept the democratic will of the parliament they wanted to give control back to!
January 28, 2019
We want Parliament to gain control back.
But Parliament is trying to stop that happening
January 28, 2019
@Edward2; But that’s the price of a democratic, and some suggest sovereign, parliament!
I don’t like it any more than you but the alternatives could be even worse. Another contributor today has already suggested shutting down parliament until after March 29th (I believe JRM made such a point but I
suspecthope his comment was in jest), yes that would bring about a WTO exit but what a precedent to set -one that might come back to haunt the right come the next govt.January 28, 2019
This is not leaving “The top 40 horrors lurking in the small print of Thersa May’s Brexit deal”:
https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/12/the-top-40-horrors-lurking-in-the-small-print-of-theresa-mays-brexit-deal-2/
January 28, 2019
@ Mick
they would see and hear the anger in Britain
They are too dumb, deaf and blind to even consider the voice of the people.
January 28, 2019
It is as preposterous as it is dangerous for you to claim that Parliament is going to war with the people. Parliament is trying to make sense of what the people really voted for. You, and your fellow leavers, said we would hold most of the cards, the EU would offer us the same trade deal we have now with none of the obligations, and you said the US, Japan, Australia etc would be falling over themselves to offer us new deals. Not one shred of this was true. So Parliament is trying to rescue the nation from the mess you reckless leavers have plunged us into. Claiming that this is going to “war” is shameful, Mr Redwood
Reply We failed to play our cards and have been offered FTAs by the countries you cite
January 28, 2019
It’s a pity that Parliament didn’t think about this before it passed the referendum Act, then it might have insisted that the Act must outline what would happen in the event that the government lost the vote.
January 28, 2019
Pragmatically, If Parliament was “trying to make sense” of what people really voted for there would have been an active and constructive debate to understand why people voted as they did and what people wanted.
This has not happened.
Instead we, the leavers, have been subjected to remainer propaganda, lies, slander and lectures from the great and good on what they think are the reasons why we voted to leave.
Our host’s comment is not preposterous – War does not necessarily involve violence, the issue is purpose and the purpose of war is a means to advance to goals of the state at the cost to another group. In which case the EU has been at war to establish itself as a state at the cost of our country’s sovereignty and control over it’s laws, taxes, trade and foreign relations.
Parliament and the establishment have and is striving to advance the goals of the EU, another state, against our clear and stated interest so they can be viewed as being at war against us. Leaving on 29th March will not be the end of it and we will need to be alert to the actions of establishment and commercial remainers who will need to be extremely careful in their support of the EU and it’s goals.
January 28, 2019
We have never had any cards. We have no trade deals.
When the US eventually offers us a trade deal with will be required to allow in Frankenstein foods – like chlorinated chicken and hormone injected beef.
Did you vote for Frankenstein foods in June 2016 Mr Redwood? Did you tell your constituents it was what they were voting for?
January 28, 2019
You must have forgotten this admission from Caroline Lucas:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-07-16/debates/B3ED8272-3DF1-464E-8ABA-701A376E6A2C/Taxation(Cross-BorderTrade)Bill#contribution-FA57D745-EC0F-44BE-9AB1-B347B470C05B
âI was going on to give examples of ways in which food standards in the US are much lower than our own. Many may find the prospect of eating chlorine-washed chicken disturbing. Although there appears to be no clear scientific evidence that it poses a substantial risk to human health, it is linked to poor animal welfare on farms and at slaughter âŠâ
She might have gone further and added â⊠and some evidence that proper disinfection lowers the risk for consumers âŠâ, however the point is that even she admits that any doubts about so-called âchlorinated chickenâ correctly relate not to any “Frankenstein” nature of the product but to animal welfare during the process of production.
But then you probably knew that already …
January 28, 2019
They wash their chicken in chlorine – Oh my! -that would be the same stuff that we wash all the prepared salads in the supermarkets in. More scaremongering nonsense.
January 28, 2019
Remenber foot and mouth,salmonella in eggs, BSE, the horsemeat scandal and wine labelling frauds?
All during the times we were under EU control.
January 28, 2019
Ridiculous nonsense. The rate of botulism etc from chicken in the US is about 1/5 what it is in the EU. You do not see people walking around the US – or countries like Canada and Australia, which have FTAs with the US – with two heads or three arms. Have you ever been to the US – If so did you eat the food there or did you take a parcel of food meeting EU standards?
Time for Continuity Remain to come up with some proper arguments for cancelling brexit – why the euro is a great success and we should join, why the CAP and CFP are actually good news, why we want high tariffs against the rest of the world to protect EU farmers and force higher food clothing and footwear prices on EU consumers, why the thousands of premature deaths from EU mandated diesel were worth it, why we want a common tax policy etc etc
January 28, 2019
Enlighten us, please Andy Pandy:
in the miserable dystopia you continue to forecast, who will actually force people to buy such meat?
January 28, 2019
Ever wondered why Dutch and Danish pork is cheaper in the supermarkets than British? It might have something to do with the standards of animal welfare on their farms. Frankly if you are health conscious or concerned about animal cruelty you should be wary of EU farm produce.
January 28, 2019
Those with a strong stomach may like to look at Compassion in World Farming’s investigation of EU (non UK) pig farms https://www.ciwf.org.uk/our-campaigns/investigations/eu-pig-investigations-2013/
January 28, 2019
sm
You won’t get a reply from him because he comes on here posting his vitriolic crap, and for that reason he avoids discussion.
As Dennis Thatcher once said; “if people think you’re a fool better to keep one’s mouth shut rather than confirm the fact.”
January 28, 2019
1. We have no trade deals as we are not allowed to sign any whilst still a member.
2. No one is going to be forced to buy chicken or beef from any country if they don’t want to. Personally, I buy all mine from my local butcher where I am assured of both its quality and provenance.
3. I don’t believe Frankenstein foods was an option on the ballot paper.
January 28, 2019
It’s called “consumer choice” you buy chlorinated chicken if you must…there is plenty of other choices out there…
January 28, 2019
Just think how relieved you’ll be, Andy, when you can choose OUR beef and OUR chicken over any from the US – oh! Wait a minute! You can now.
January 28, 2019
We most certainly have failed to play our cards. If remainers had allowed hard negotiation instead of dividing our position we would know if leaving with a good deal was possible.
Pro EU quislings have hampered our position and continue to do so.
As with Greece so with the UK.
January 28, 2019
They really know what the people didn’t know they really wanted because the really thick people didn’t read and listen properly when the really intelligent politicians wrote and said what was really true or not true. My god, don’t Remainers have their heads firmly stuck up their backsides.
January 28, 2019
Then I suggest parliament rereads the question it set on the ballot paper. Because it was perfectly clear to me and ALL those who took part. And if 650 people cannot make sense of what they themselves set in motion, and remember it was a Remainer PM that put it into the 2015 Conservative Manifesto, then the same 650 are unfit to do the same. Hence why I advocate a peoples general election.
We cannot negotiate, let alone sign, FTA’s whilst still a member of the EU. We will once outside.
When it comes to telling the non-truth’s I think you will find that advocates of the EU are in a league of their own. This both in scale and over time. No loss of sovereignty we were told. It’s all about trade and not building a federal europe. The list is endless. So spare me OK !
January 28, 2019
Remainers like you Henry are obsessed with trade.
It is all you talk about. But it isn’t about trade.
It is about freedom, independence, the right to make our own laws, to have our courts supreme, to control our own taxes, to control our own currency, to and our own borders.
January 28, 2019
Spot on, Edward2. The ballot paper did not say:
”Leave the European Union – but only if a trade deal is agreed”
The remain MPs’ smoke, mirrors and Project Fear have certainly addled many remainers’ brains.
Be REALLY afraid, remainers! Brexit is nigh!
January 28, 2019
Have just emailed your excellent article to my Remainer MP (Anne Milton – Conservative) with the heading War with the People.
If Parliament fails to deliver a proper Brexit then a metaphorical war is far from ‘preposterous’ as Henry Carter would have us believe. Although guns will not be used, there will definitely be a ‘Winter of Discontent’ and lawful civil disobedience; too, maybe violence on the streets similar at least to that of the poll tax riots or Miners strike; and I expect at some time the army may be called in – yes, ‘War’.
The Remoaners are being stupidly naive if they think there won’t be considerable trouble, and over many years, if the politicians steal democracy from the people.
Sir John is being entirely responsible in giving advance warning of what is likely to happen. The disruption will cause far more economic damage to the country than any ‘propogandist’ short term disruption from a ‘No-deal’ exit. And the point is that Leavers won’t care, because we voted to get out regardless of cost, so as to make our own laws and take our own decisions – the protection of democracy and sovereignty being uppermost in our considerations (Take Back Control). The Remoaners still don’t seem to get this concept.
January 28, 2019
Henry Carter
Oh dear, do keep up, or ask someone with intelligence to explain it to you.
We voted to Leave, really simple. Parliament has tried to convince useful idiots in the remain camp that there is some kind of problem… There isn’t
WE CANNOT SIGN TRADE AGREEMENTS UNTIL WE’VE LEFT its a rule of the institution you voted for
January 28, 2019
I agree with Sir John and we now have a classic Parliament vs the people scenario.
I would be most interested, Henry, to see your reply to the post from sm below?
January 28, 2019
The Sun has also been talking in combative terms.
It would have helped greatly in my belief that “Parliament is trying to make sense of what the people really voted for” if leading Remain supporters had not been so darn insulting.
This manifests itself on this site in the language of at least two posters. It does indeed sound like the preamble to a scrap.
January 28, 2019
“Parliament is trying to make sense of what the people really voted for.” Let me help you here. The people really voted to leave. They really did. Really. Parliament could save itself a lot of trouble by wising itself up to that instead of playing student debating society games.
January 28, 2019
For me, that’s it in a nutshell.
However, I would like to ask serious questions of those who prefer to Remain and post on this forum:
What sort of Remain do you want, and how many others agree with you?
Do you want to remain on current terms (and would the EU allow this?), or do you wish to become fully integrated in all matters, ie the Euro, Schengen, taxation and federalisation?
January 28, 2019
Current terms. And it is not up to the EU to allow this, we are entitled to it, as long as we revoke the Art 50 letter (as we should, given what a farce Brexit has become)
January 28, 2019
The first and foremost of the current terms is a solemn commitment to a unceasing and unlimited process of ever closer union, meaning that all other current terms will be subject to revision.
Didn’t you notice that when the judges on the ECJ decided that an Article 50 notice could be unilaterally revoked that was because they viewed that as the best way to promote ever closer union?
This is only from December, you should not have forgotten so soon:
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2018/12/11/a-managed-exit-without-signing-the-withdrawal-agreement/#comment-980230
“Last night MPs spent nearly an hour questioning Steve Barclay about the ECJ judgment, but nobody pointed out that the leading reason the judges gave to allow us to revoke the Article 50 notice is also the leading reason why we should not revoke it:
âAs regards the context of Article 50 TEU ⊠those treaties have as their purpose the creation of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe ⊠â
â⊠it would be inconsistent with the Treatiesâ purpose of creating an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe to force the withdrawal of a Member State ⊠â”
January 28, 2019
Remaining right now on current terms is no guarantee of no changes in the future.
January 28, 2019
The EU has already said we can remain on current terms if Brexit is reversed before it is implemented.
If we leave and rejoin in 20/30 years – which is demographically inevitable – the terms will be worse.
All Brexiteers are doing is shafting their children and grandchildren.
January 28, 2019
It will not exist in 20/30 years. Itâll either collapse or form full federation. There is no halfway house. Just like in or out for us. Remainers just cannot or will not see it.
January 28, 2019
There will be nothing to re-join well before your 20/30 years is up.
January 28, 2019
Read the Five Presidents Report
In 2020 more impacts of the Lisbon Treaty come into force.
Reduced veto powers and wider QMV powers.
The EU have a plan
If Grance Germany and the Commission have their way things even EU fans like you say you dont want will happen.
January 28, 2019
Andy – just as an aside, perhaps you’d explain how you envisage your EU’s army being staffed.
Do you understand the word ”conscription”? Perhaps you really believe that young people will flock Europe-wide to don its uniform, and that conscription will be unnecessary. Would you encourage your children to stand up for your EU’s militarism?
Now, THAT’s what I’d call ”shafting children and grandchildren”.
January 28, 2019
There is no remain. It is staying to evolve into the superstate the remainers denied was happening and the army and everything else. Do you notice how they are never brought to task by the msm. Especially the BBC and Marr!
January 28, 2019
I wrote a missive to the BBC Complaints Dept. just now headed, ‘The bias of the BBC is appalling’. I wrote –
When stated by someone to a BBC interviewer/presenter, on any programme, that Brexit will be catastrophic, ruin the economy, empty shop shelves, stop medicines etc., etc. they are never asked for the evidence, never. Those statements are accepted as facts being not commented upon.
If a Brexiteer says a positive statement the interviewer asks, ‘where in the world is that done?’, ‘the CBI et al says you are wrong’ etc.
The BBC accepts anyone to say the words, ‘crashing out’ without comment so as to give the impression that that is correct. It happened today on Channel 2 BBC news at noon.
Now I know the BBC knows all this so they are colluding with biased views. Reith must be turning in his grave. You must have thousands of comments like this.
January 28, 2019
There would not be a choice if we went back to the EU and asked to stay. It would be full integration and implementation of the Five Presidents report. Followed by no UK by 2023-25.
January 28, 2019
You’re just wrong. The ECJ decided in December that we can keep our curent position in all respects, as long as we change our mind before 29 March. As we should – otherwise we are just making our grandkids lives worse
January 28, 2019
Ha! And you actually BELIEVE them?
You simply haven’t got any imagination if you think that your grandkids’ lives couldn’t be worse!
Their lives are good now. Yet you lot would happily walk them blindfold into the clutches of an expansionist, imperialist hegemony who wouldn’t think twice about using ‘your grandkids’ for its own sinister ends.
January 28, 2019
Parliament must do nothing. The Queen must instead now prorogue Parliament until after 29 March 2019.
January 28, 2019
@Tom Rogers; The Queen must do nothing. If parliament is to be prorogued then that is a decision the PM (and her party) must make, defending such a blatantly undemocratic decision at the next GE.
The ERG and UKIP etc. all told us that Brexit was needed to return decision making back to the UK parliament, at the first hurdle some Brexiteers now want to remove that democracy once again, simply because they dislike the look of democracy…
January 29, 2019
Vote Leave’s leaflet “Vote Leave, take control” does not mention parliament once. You are projecting your prejudice just like you accuse others of doing.
January 29, 2019
@David Price; “You are projecting your prejudice just like you accuse others of doing.”
No, I’m stating our constitutional settlement. On the other hand you do appear to be projecting onto Vote Leave your personal dislike of our parliament.
January 29, 2019
The Vote Leave literature said nothing about Parliament, not even once.
The ERG were not a factor in the referendum and perhaps you voted because of what UKIP said but I did not.
By blocking a clean leave and continuing to press EU interests Parliament is making itself irrelevant, a talking shop for windbags and nothing to do with democracy.
January 30, 2019
@ David Price; “The Vote Leave literature said nothing about Parliament, not even once.”
Wrong, I have checked their website, even now they still talk about the European parliament and the needs to return control of our laws etc. back to the UK. Any reasonable person, eligible for jury service, would take that to mean the UK parliament(s).
But fine have it your way, lets run the UK via Town Hall meetings [1] and peoples referenda rather than a parliament, the first referendum can be that second (clarifying) vote on Brexit – unless of course your disdain of parliament and thus the people are so deep that you want the county run by an autocrat…
[1] were you’ll find even more ‘windbags’ as you call them, people who simply have opinions different from your own
January 28, 2019
There is a strong case for MPs to be barred from visiting schools.
Most children of course are not likely to watch BBC Parliament. But it is shown before 9pm. We really don’t wish our children copying the behaviour.
January 28, 2019
Parliament has been at war with the people for ages. It enacts laws that it never consulted the people on, such as gay ‘marriage’. It opens the borders to anyone and runs up debts regardless of the consequences to the people who elected them. While it is stone deaf to the demands of what the majority wants, like the return of capital punishment. You are naive to believe that BREXIT will not be killed off because just as many times before Parliament knows whats best for the people.
January 28, 2019
Gay marriage is perfectly popular. Maybe not in your circles – but then you represent an increasingly irrelevant and small minority of haters.
Capital punishment is a policy only supported by the ignorant and extremists.
January 28, 2019
Being in a majority does not always mean something is right. A minority may be hated for just wanting to be different. Remember Lot (Genesis 19).
As for capital punishment, the real issue is sanctity of life, and the shedding of innocent blood. America is now in big trouble in this regard, too – New York State now unsafe for the unborn – abortion now legal right up to birth.
Matthew 11:20-24 shows the real issue is hypocrisy .
Democracy will only work if based on sound cultural foundations. Repentance towards God and his laws are the only real hope for the future.
PS: 669,444 signed a petition to uphold the sanctity of traditional marriage, which David Cameron chose to lay aside. No wonder we are in such a mess!
January 28, 2019
You are a prig, Andy. And an ignorant one at that. Perhaps you should develop your arguments instead of insulting people.
January 28, 2019
Disagree about capital punishment but otherwise agree that Parliament says one thing during elections and then pursues it’s own agenda.
January 28, 2019
Very true. And it gives our money away to other countries without our consent while many here struggle.
January 28, 2019
The perfect example of abuse by parliament onto the people was with the creation of the Police and Crime Commissioners.
No one was asked to vote if they wanted them â they were just foisted on everyone as a done deal.
But, you will be given a vote to choose a PCC in a lame attempt to legitimise the situation.
The result, ignoring the 2012 introduction year, and looking at the 2016 PCC elections for England and Wales, from the parliament website we see…
âTurnout averaged 26.6% across all 40 police areas (measured as valid first preference votes as a proportion of the electorate). This is an increase of 11.5 percentage points compared to 2012. â
âOver 311,000 ballots were rejected in the first round of voting at the PCC elections (3.4% of total ballots). This is an increase of 0.6 of a percentage point from the 2012 election.â
This shows spoilt ballot papers are 10 times more than in a general election, and the people voting at 26.6% represents a very low turnout. The PCC elections are often held at the same time as other elections which have a higher turnouts. So here we have a situation that clearly shows that voters are going to the polling stations, spoiling their ballot papers, and are actively not voting for a PCC.
Any Government, with any common sense or ethics, would realise that the people would rather see their taxes spent on normal policing (not unfunded pensions), and scrap the idea.
Personally, as a rule, I consider it my duty to vote, but have never voted for a PCC and never will.
Does the government really want to defy the democratic will of 17.4m voters, destroy democracy, and deny them a Brexit on WTO terms?
By the way, I am also against capital punishment as mistakes cannot be corrected.
January 28, 2019
I am ambivalent about capital punishment but growing up in the 1940s and 1950s murders were so infrequent that they were literally front page headlines on national newspapers. There were at least two tragic mistakes: John Bentley and Ruth Ellis and the legal and forensic processes left much to be desired. Now we have hundreds of murders every year and London is less safe that New York. The issue is no easier to decide.
January 28, 2019
Grieve and Cooper are playing with fire. Confronting democracy in this way could have serious consequences. We have seen and are still seeing the same type of reaction by inner-State ‘players’ in the US following the election of Trump as POTUS. These ‘players’ resent the decisions taken by the voter and are working hard to circumvent them. I have never seen before such a blatant disregard for our democratic mandate. It is a disturbing trend indeed
Unfortunately the vast majority of the British people aren’t being told of what exactly is happening in the Commons and many of them fail to understand the gravity and seriousness of the situation confronting British democracy
What we are seeing is in effect the EU and pro-EU MPs working together to nobble British democracy.
I also believe that this PM and her Chancellor are also part of this tawdry plot along Blair, Mandelson and no doubt Heseltine and other players aligned with the EU
We cannot look to the BBC to inform the public of the duplicitous and seditious nature of current political events as they themselves are part of the same political coalition of Europhile players working hard to destroy the importance of the referenda result
We can only put our faith in moral, democracy defending MPs to do the right thing and confront charlatans like Grieve and Cooper and crush their attempts to undermine popular democracy
January 28, 2019
Indeed, the likes of Soubry and Grieve seem to almost live in Barnier’s office, yet their actions seem to avoid any sort of scrutiny. I believe the EU can afford to be as intransigent as they are because our Brussels little helpers in Parliament have assured them that they will look out for their interests, and ensure that only the softest of soft Brexits will be allowed to be passed or no Brexit at all. If our Parliament had stood behind our country we would be seeing a much better deal and it would be costing us a lot less in time and money.
January 28, 2019
That’s why we need significant change to our voting system and a new party to emerge on the centre right to be the peoples patriotic party! If not place an independent Brexiter in every remainers constituency!
Why haven’t Boles, Souberry, Grieve, Morgan been deselected by their Tory associations?
January 28, 2019
Iain Moore.
If our Parliament had stood behind our country we would be seeing a much better deal and it would be costing us a lot less in time and money.
We should be so lucky!! I don’t expect parliament to stand behind us over Brexit or any other serious matters. They have their own agenda and damn their manifesto.
January 28, 2019
The government has 3 ways of blocking anti Brexit bills:
1. Withhold Royal Assent.
2. Withhold Queenâs Consent to debate the bill.
3. Prorogue Parliament.
https://brexitinformation.com/2019/01/27/how-the-government-can-stop-anti-brexit-bills-from-becoming-law/
January 28, 2019
Re 2, Her Majesty must give consent for any bill that touches on her Prerogative. It is not required in the normal course of events.
January 28, 2019
@ James Bush
Unfortunately, we have a Prime Minister who does not really believe in a proper WTO “No Deal” Brexit and it is on record in The Sun today (https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/brexit/8292363/theresa-may-rule-out-no-deal/)- that Theresa May wants a “No Deal” Brexit ruled out but a) She hopes the Cooper/ Grieve Amendments pass and “No Deal” is ruled out for her and, b) She does not publicly state that she wants to rule out a “No Deal” Brexit for fear of an electoral backlash against the Tories.
Thus, whatever happens, there will not be a WTO “No Deal” Brexit to look forwards to on 29th March. There is a majority in Parliament to have the Leave Date extended and “No Deal” stopped (the Cooper/ Boles and Grive Amendments will likely pass having been selected by our Remain Speaker). Theresa May is simply not going to argue with Parliament’s expressed will (not when she secretly wants to stop a WTO “No Deal” Brexit), she certainly won’t be asking Her Majesty The Queen to prorogue Parliament so that Britain just leaves the EU on 29th March!
I have requested that our excellent host, Sir John Redwood (as he now is) collaborates with his Brexit- supporting colleagues to get Theresa May removed from office- so that a Brexiteer takes over the Conservative Party. That is the only way that the 2016 Referendum Result will ever be honoured properly!
Ian Pennell
January 28, 2019
I have emailed my MP with this message.
Parliament have voted for The UK to leave at 11pm on the 29th of March 2019. Some sections of the U.K. economy will be badly affected. Most will flourish. Overall this is a cash in and not a crash out. The MP’s who voted through the legislation clearly knew the implications. So now make it happen
January 28, 2019
Once elected MPs have previously had a free ride, only at risk of losing their seat because of the popularity, or lack of it, of the party on a national basis. No more.
At the next election every MP will have to defend their personal voting record and the people will be demanding and brutal against those that have chosen to defy the views of their electorate.
January 28, 2019
A review of the Daily Mail and Telegraph comments reveals the level of anger and frustration had risen yet again this week. Talk of riots, protests and pitch forks now fill the comments section. I havenât even read the Sun or Express yet.
We are following the classic pattern of anger and frustration found in the seminal book on revolutions called âWhy Men Rebel.â The Government, civil service, MSM and rebel
MPs have done a better job than the CIA could have done at bringing us to the brink.
On the current trajectory something ugly is going to happen long before March 29th.
January 28, 2019
I hear that all police leave has been cancelled for 29 March.
January 28, 2019
Penny. Maybe something anti democratic will happen on that date? I wonder what that could be?
January 28, 2019
It was an advisory referendum. And it turns out the advice was rubbish.
In 2016 none of you knew what you were voting for – which is now embarrassingly obvious.
In any case, democracy in this country is carried out by general election, not by advisory referenda.
Mrs May sought a mandate for hard Brexit in 2017. She lost. You lost. You have no mandate for amputation you seek.
Brexiteers are now going against the will of the people in pursuit of their flawed and childish ideology.
What part of democracy do you lot understand?
January 28, 2019
The referendum was technically advisory but imagine that 52% of the votes had gone to Remain but the government decided to leave the EU anyway, after promising to follow what the voters said. Would you and your fellow Remoaners say “oh well, fair enough, it was only advisory”?
January 28, 2019
Only remain voters knew what they were voting for says young andy.
Hilarious.
January 28, 2019
A damn’ site more than you, apparently. I haven’t come across too many Rabid Remainers, fortunately, but you’re the most rabid example that I have.
January 28, 2019
Not what the polls say. They said that remain would win so who knows what the real mood is? Your mood seems to be angry as usual. A bit ironic, seeing as you accuse everyone else of being angry leavers. I am not angry. I am just laughing at you. As are many others, to whom I have publicised this blog.
January 28, 2019
Where does it say in the Referendum Act that the vote was advisory?
January 28, 2019
Andy you get more ridiculous by the day. At least we all have a laugh. My husband has just said he is not laughing. He thinks your pathetic.
January 28, 2019
Some of these recent parliamentary converts to our national sovereignty and democracy are so hypocritical that they are now proposing to give the EU an effective veto over whether we can withdraw and so restore that national sovereignty and democracy.
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2019/01/27/questions-for-remain/#comment-991418
“If the withdrawal of a member state from the EU was made conditional upon the conclusion of a withdrawal agreement then the EU could simply make demands that
the state could not possibly accept, effectively vetoing its withdrawal.”
January 28, 2019
The people didn’t vote for a soft Brexit, partial Brexit, late Brexit or half in half out Brexit.
They voted for what the leave campaign promised, a negotiated brexit.
The fact that this has proved impossible to deliver now means leavers need to reach consensus on what version of leave you want, and put this once again to the public vote.
Only you extremists voted to just exit with no negotiated future trade arrangements.
You are subverting democracy.
January 28, 2019
Leave Campaign Quote :
“Taking back control is a careful change, not a sudden step – we will negotiate the terms of a new deal before we start any legal process to leave”
So in invoking article 50 immediately, the promise was broken. Amongst many other non-achievable promises.
January 28, 2019
And it was a Remainer who invoked Article 50, wasn’t it, after eight months of dithering and no planning? And the EU who insisted on the legal process to leave coming before a trade deal, and a Remainer who stupidly agreed.
Over to you.
January 28, 2019
Well that’s an argument for repealling A50, not for a disorderly leave. The government has got everything out of sequence. The international Belfast peace agreement needed to be rewritten first before any thought of brexit. Complete government incompetence.
Not that Labour would do any better.
January 28, 2019
Off-topic, for the little that it will be worth my recent letter to CityAM has been published in today’s edition, on page 16 here:
http://www.cityam.com/assets/uploads/content/2019/01/cityam-2019-01-28-5c4e4fa84d948.pdf
under the heading “Borderline”.
Opposite the cheerful article headlined:
“We’re not as stuck as the Brexit blues would have you believe”.
There’s certainly no reason for us to be stuck at the Irish border; it’s Theresa May’s choice to agree that a molehill on the border should be treated as a mountain.
January 28, 2019
I think it is partially to stop us knowing what else she has agreed in the WA, like a magician taking attention away from what he is really up to. Have you seen this “The top 40 horrors lurking in Mrs. May’s Brexit deal”:
https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/12/the-top-40-horrors-lurking-in-the-small-print-of-theresa-mays-brexit-deal-2/
January 28, 2019
Sorry should have put … in the middle of quoting that title.
January 29, 2019
Thanks.
January 28, 2019
The consequences for MPs who defy the will of the people should be terminal in a Parliamentary career sense. The only caveat I have is that their constituency may still want them.
Nor does it end there. Future government must comprise MPs who are fully comitted to GB Ltd.
I for one am tired of all the black propaganda they have generated in their cause over the past 2.5 years. They are not fit to lead the country in future should the electorate be so misguided as to return them.
January 28, 2019
Just seen the news concerning a FTA between the EU and Vietnam. Ed Vaizey involved with a prominent role. He makes some reference to the UK leaving the EU. I’m not taken by this nonsense
It is obvious this FTA includes the UK and that if we were leaving the EU then an FTA between the UK and Vietnam would be a separate agreement. It isn’t
We are being royally ‘stitched up’ by May and the EU
January 28, 2019
Vaizey is my useless MP.
January 28, 2019
@ Dominic
We are being royally âstitched upâ by May and the EU
You had better believe it big time
January 28, 2019
All those MPs who are trying to delay or destroy Brexit are supposedly intelligent people but they seem to have absolutely no idea of the damage they are doing to industry and commerce. The scourge of industry is ‘uncertainty ‘ and they are doing nothing more than prolonging it because they cannot believe they lost the vote.
They should grow up and shut up and stop wrecking the negotiations and our future
January 28, 2019
They DO know. They don’t care.
You are confusing them with people who give a damn about anything but their own political careers and self-aggrandizing.
January 28, 2019
@ George Brooks
Brexit are supposedly intelligent people but they seem to have absolutely no idea of the damage they are doing to industry and commerce.
They are the only people smelling the coffee with both eyes fully open. You people do not give a fig about who rules and controls us. They ultimately control industry and commerce if we roll over and allow them to do so. All the money the EU sends over for all their high profile projects you fail to realise it is our money in the first place just the same with all the millions being paid out to communities for wind farms we are paying for it 24/7 Wake up the coffee is brewing.
January 28, 2019
If the fifth columnists get their way then it will be confirmed that Parliament is as bad as the Barons of history. We the serfs are just there to provide taxes to fund their guided lifestyle .
You will lack all legitimacy and lose the right to tax and rule over us.
There is much on social media relating to civil disobedience so beware.
January 28, 2019
Gilded
January 28, 2019
@ Ian Wragg
Beware? I do so much hope you are right.
January 28, 2019
We’ve been here before, but it seems like remainers breed quickly – That has to be a statement on our society, that so many can no longer think for themselves. This is what 40ish years of the EU has done for us – It started with lies…and they continue.
The EU has influenced our thinking, dumbed us down with socialistic pc activities, as well as the misbegotten utopia they aim towards at breakneck speed, which is an impossible goal given their dictatorial attitude.
Minds and purposes have been warped by this false dream, based on a bed of deceit, but so many imagine this is ‘the future’, when in fact it is the past and a hopeless Startrek dreamworld.
So I hold out little hope MP’s will see sense – If we leave cleanly it will be by default, and come about despite the inadequacies of those in the House.
January 28, 2019
Bryan Harris
Minds and purposes have been warped by this false dream, based on a bed of deceit,
Just like the junkie living every moment for his next fix. We have over 40 years created a new generation of EU junkies incapable of thinking outside the box.
We will only be proved right when the whole of the EU implodes and it could well happen sooner than one thinks
January 28, 2019
Well spoken!
January 28, 2019
And going to war with the people is exactly why yesterday they are using the denial technique to raise the subject of martial law in the event of no deal. Such scaremongering is beyond the pale and frankly ridiculous.
Having said that, the events in France show what can happen when people feel betrayed by their leaders. Once I would have said this could never happen here but I am sad to say I no longer have the same degree of certainty.
17 million people will not take being walked over lightly. Remember the Poll Tax? Brits are reserved and slow to anger but will only take so much…
January 28, 2019
I believe that Remainers are deliberately confusing Leaving the eu and what comes after.
We must obey the Will of the People as Sir John states. We must leave the eu.
What comes afterwards is matter of debate.
January 28, 2019
If we do not leave as promised I shall look forward to the day when remoaners are having to send their children off for national service in the EU army and demanding to leave screaming “we didn’t know what we were voting for”
January 28, 2019
I wouldn’t look forward to it. It would be all too real and tragic. Thank goodness we have protected ALL young people (even Andy’s) from such a scenario by voting ‘leave’.
No – they wouldn’t understand what their parents had voted for (and our own would be caught up too) or why their ”remain” parents would have betrayed them into that.
January 28, 2019
The forces of Remain in the Commons saying they are defending democracy is indistinguishable from Russian defence of democracy in Venezuela.
January 28, 2019
Sir Graham Brady was on TV talking about his proposed amendment, which I find listed as “Amendment (n)” here:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmagenda/fb190128.htm
“At end, add âand requires the Northern Ireland backstop to be replaced with alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border; supports leaving the European Union with a deal and would therefore support the Withdrawal Agreement subject to this change.â”
Well, my question is what kind of “alternative arrangements” they could be, given that the Irish government has ruled out the use of technology or indeed anything that would even “imply a border on the island of Ireland”, from November 24th 2017:
https://news.sky.com/video/is-the-norway-sweden-border-a-solution-for-ireland-11141058
From 3 minutes 3 seconds in, Irish Europe Minister Helen McEntee:
âWe have been very very clear from day one, there cannot be a physical border and that means ruling out cameras, that means ruling out technology, that means ruling out anything that would imply a border on the island of Ireland, it is not an option for usâ.
And given that the UK government agrees with the Irish government that this fabricated problem, a molehill at the border built up into a mountain, should be used as a pretext to keep as much of the UK under as much EU law as possible for as long as possible.
Bear in mind what the Irish Commissioner said at that time, November 2017:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ireland-border-brexit-latest-theresa-may-customs-union-phil-hogan-northern-a8076271.html
“Brexit: Remain in customs union and single market to solve border issue, Ireland’s European commissioner tells May”
And of course the Remain supporter Theresa May was very happy to be offered an excuse to do what she already wanted to do, keep us under the economic thumb of the EU to the greatest possible extent.
January 28, 2019
Denis..an alternative arrangement could be an agreement between the government and EU, that in lieu of a no FTA deal scenario, after five years time period a border poll could be held and that would allow all sides to be freed to decide their own futures, for UK to be completely free to trade with new partners worldwide, for the majority in NI to be free to join with the Irish Republic in the EU if they so wish. I think that would be one fair solution to get out of this backstop?
January 29, 2019
It is not even for the UK, let alone the EU, to decide if and when the people of Northern Ireland should be asked whether they wish to leave the UK, and least of all for the sake of a problem which is largely fictitious and which could very easily be solved.
January 28, 2019
Denis, as the ROI are so keen on no physical border (as are the UK), maybe they [ROI] should join with the UK and have tariff free access to the UK market until such time that the “Political Declaration” becomes a reality.
After all the “Back Stop” is apparently just a short term insurance…
As 85% of ROI exports transit across the UK and some 65% (figures need checking) of that ends up with UK consumers a simple TIR arrangement for goods leaving ROI destined for mainland EU land is not rocket science to organise…
https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/customs-procedures/what-is-customs-transit/tir-transports-internationaux-routiers-international-road-transport_en
January 29, 2019
But it’s not just about tariffs, it’s also about product standards. That’s why the final removal of routine border checks within the EU only came with the advent of the Single Market, not with the earlier Customs Union. And that is also why Labour now has to say something vague about a “strong Single Market relationship” on top of its original demand for a customs union.
From Oxford Professor Kevin OâRourke, December 6th 2017:
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2017/12/06/comments-to-this-site/#comment-905832
âGetting rid of border controls on trade thus depended on both the European customs union, and the European single market. Norway is a member of the single market but not the customs union, with the result that there are border controls between it and Sweden. The UK and Ireland were members of a customs union before 1993, but not a single market, and the result again was border controls. And unless both Northern Ireland and the Republic retain equivalent regulations regarding both customs duties, and what can be legally bought and sold on their territories, the result will inevitably be border controls.â
The solution I suggested then:
â⊠the UK government to give an undertaking to the EU that it did not intend to allow its territory to become a source of unsuitable goods placed upon the EU Single Market, and so it would introduce a system to licence UK exporters to the EU which would force them to meet EU requirements or suffer penalties under UK law, with the possibility of EU officials being invited to assist in investigations.â
is basically the same solution that I am still suggesting now, an “alternative arrangement”which would not shackle us to EU law.
January 28, 2019
Denis- The alternative arrangement can be the promise of an Irish border poll to be conducted at the same time as the vote for Scottish independence in say about five years time
January 29, 2019
That would not solve the immediate problem.
January 28, 2019
The best thing to do now is to leave with no deal, 29 march, then we can negotiate with whomever for whatever, from outside. Only in this way can it be clearly demonstrated to the public as to whether they were right or wrong about the whole thing. Let’s prove it to ourselves- one way or the other
January 28, 2019
Yes. Let’s leave first, let the Remainders see what happens, then negotiate from a position of strength and independence.
If they’re right, they will really enjoy saying ”I told you so” (Andy) and if (when) they’re wrong, then we can be magnanimous in triumph (and watch them eat their words!)
Deep joy.
January 28, 2019
I agree wholeheartedly. Parliament is setting its face against the people. The views of the people are held in contempt by many MPs, including Conservatives. There is outrage in the country at the way in which the establishment with its cronies in the media have done nothing but try to undermine the referendum result. It is clear that many MPs cannot function without direction from Brussels – they must be replaced by those who can and have faith and confidence in this country and its people.
January 28, 2019
Since the two main parties supported the entire Leave process and voted to send the Article 50 letter by a large majority, surely it is Remain that should be off the table by now, the only options being WTO terms or the appalling WA.
The likes of A.Soubry and D.Grieve who were elected as Conservatives should have been kicked out of the party and told to join the LibDems, who are at least honest about their position. T. May having thrown way her majority, needed all the support she could get so that wasn’t possible.
If we do manage to get out on 29 March, Remain will become meaningless, replaced
by Rejoin. Good luck with that.
January 28, 2019
The demand to take NO DEAL off the table is ridiculous. It cannot be done.
With the rejection of the Withdrawal Agreement it is the current default position and the clock is running down.
Progress under the Withdrawal Agreement rules to negotiate the warm worded Political Declaration is in abeyance.
The stumbling block is the wording of the Withdrawal Agreement and the insertion of the backstop. The backstop with the requirement for the UK or Northern Ireland on its own to remain in a form of Customs is the killer.
Article 50 preordained the current position. There was NO requirement to conclude a leaving package – a DEAL in the two year time scale, only to write and present the Withdrawal Agreement to the Country leaving.
It was always conceivable as pointed out by Denis Cooper the EU could simply make demands that the state could not possibly accept, effectively vetoing its withdrawal.
The backstop is such. How the backstop originated sounds like a bit of blarney. Theresa May’s acceptance of it was crass. The Irish and Barnier refusing to remove it, is forcing a NO DEAL brexit upon the UK Government.
Withdrawal from the EU is a unilateral decision by the UK and we can LEAVE Without a DEAL.
January 28, 2019
Remainers are using the argument that Leavers wanted Parliament to be sovereign and hence it is perfectly OK if Parliament delays or reverses the referendum decision because it is entitled to do so.
[The main reason for Project Fear is to give Parliamentary Remainers an excuse for delaying or cancelling Brexit.]
It is not Parliament that is sovereign but the people of this country. The people lease their sovereignty to a Parliament for a limited period of time between GEs in order for a Government to be able to govern. This contract is time limited and must be renewed through a GE.
A Parliament therefore does not have permanent sovereignty or the authority to give away the peopleâs sovereignty without a specific mandate from the people to do so.
Not only did the people vote overall to leave the EU, but in Parliamentary constituency terms leave won 64:36. This is a definite mandate for Parliament to enact the wishes of the people and leave the EU.
If this Parliament delays or cancels Brexit it will be a coup against the people.
January 28, 2019
Very well said. The Grieves and Coopers of this Parliament have much to answer for.
January 28, 2019
The case could not be better presented.
So much trust has already been lost that the case is building for Parliament to change and for a United Kingdom Constitution. Many MP’s must change their views. If they do not then the MP’s must be changed.
January 28, 2019
If only Mrs May had used her Lancaster House speech as the blueprint for Britain to leave the EU. If only Dave Cameron had been a proper Conservative Leader and prepared for a Leave win. If only Parliament, who are only in place because of the People, had listen to the People and as promised and carried out their bidding. If only we could rely upon and trust those we elect.
Sounds like our Government, like most of Parliament is very “iffy” to me.
January 28, 2019
Mr Redwood,
I do not see much parliamentary support for staying in the EU. Of course, distance may distort the view. What I see is many politicians trying to get the message across that a no-deal brexit will be difficult for many (maybe for a while, maybe longer) and that most of those want to avoid or lessen that difficulty. That is mixed in with plays aiming at the post-brexit situation. No one wants to be responsible for the difficulties, should they happen and everyone would like to claim that they did their best to limit damage.
All in all a perfectly raional political behavior. Additionally, there is only one constitution. In contrast, “Democracy” is a highly subjective term as will be clear if one takes the trouble to look at what mainstream politicakl science textbooks have to say. The UK is a constitutional monarchy governed by parliamentary democratic principles. Parliament would be entitled to change policy regarding the referendum result, interpret that result in a different way than some do (for instance “leaving the EU” means at a minimum, terminating membership -no time limit given by the referendum) or organise a fresh referendum, possibly with different questions. None of these things would be unconstitutional, in my humble opinion of course.
Would any of the courses of action be better for the country? That depends on whose country one looks at. The hypothetical owner of a prominent talk radio station with links to the betting industry, a hedge fund manager or someone who would profit from the removal of specific regulations might benefit from a specific form or simply the upheaval that might occur. Car workers in the UK heartland might suffer and so could NHS patients. I say “could” because no one knows what the setting will be in which things will happen, let alone what the consequences of those things may be. But they will not be “status quo”. There will be winners and losers. The old Leninist saying “kto kogo”. And who will compensate the losers.
January 28, 2019
The Civil War came about because Parliament disagreed with the Kingâs view that he ruled as Godâs direct representative. Instead Parliament insisted that a share of government was â the undoubted birthright and inheritance of the subjects of Englandâ.
Now many in Parliament seem to believe that they rule as the EUâs direct representatives.
They need to understand that they are wrong.
January 28, 2019
It was John Redwood himself who undermined Parliamentary Democracy when he tried to palm off the decision as to whether we should Leave or Remain in the EU onto the shoulders of the public, in a Referendum, with no agreed proposals as to how we would do so, and what, (if any), arrangements should replace membership.
When 52% of us advised that we wanted to Leave, we said nothing about what we wanted membership replaced with, nor were we asked.
And neither were we asked whether we would still want to Leave with No Withdrawal Agreement if John Redwood voted against the only one on offer.
It all blew up in his face when the Supreme Court in the Gina Miller Case said it was still all for Parliament to decide.
So rather than wasting our time blogging to the converted he’d better get on with trying to sort something out.
January 28, 2019
Absolute tosh.
Sir John wasn’t in the Cabinet when Cameron decided on the referendum. It was the government’s job to prepare for either outcome. Lay the blame where it belongs, at the feet – or rather the retreating back – of Cameron when he ran away instead of doing what he said he would do … implement the result of the referendum, whether leave or stay.
January 28, 2019
Indeed, but if the worst happens what do we the people do to restore our democracy and our freedoms? Do we become like the people of Greece, France and Spain? And who will defend and support us when we do it? There are probably hundreds of thousands who are angry now and would become more so.
Or do we become a sullen, demoralised and enslaved people praying and plotting the overthrow of our Elitist oppressors.
January 28, 2019
Oh dear. It sounds so bleak when you put it like that, PW. It demonstrates that we MUST get angrier still. There are many who do feel this way – but the Remainiacs are working on the principle of ”divide and rule” (hence all the little ”Leave” groups) and they (Remain) must have known that we didn’t expect to be betrayed by our own Government. Hence we are playing catch-up, almost too late.
Almost. But not quite.
January 28, 2019
Precisely so.
The remainer MPs in parliament are destroying the constitution in order to undo the will of the people.
These people need to face the consequences of their attempted actions. As they are unlikely to penalise themselves, perhaps we could have a peoples vote on what penalty they should endure.
January 28, 2019
One could add that the PM could only give tacit approval to the backstop, it did not have Cabinet unity. When it came to parliament the WE was defeated with 118 Conservative MP’s voting against it.
January 28, 2019
Yes and that is what we are told about the EU’s agreement, the WA had to be agreed by all 27 other nations.
January 28, 2019
Democracy is on trial tomorrow. Any MP voting for these amendments will not be forgiven. If they allow us to continue to fall further into the EUs political union a new party will rise up and take control. I feel sorry for many of the public who think we should remain. They have been brainwashed into thinking that the EU is a force for good. They are the ones who will be the most angry when they discover how they have been deceived and used to thwart our exit.
January 28, 2019
Two BBC Brexit stories this am on Today:
International art students are still wanting to come to the RCA in ever greater numbers. Martha Kearney didn’t like this news and queried it in the usual despite Brexit terms.
The film which has been made about David Cameron’s decision to hold the referendum. Nick Robinson asked, without irony, why all those important people should have talked to the film makers when they won’t talk to the BBC!
January 28, 2019
We have been taken to the cleaners regarding the lexicon. Remember when the Lib Demâs wanted âa penny to fix educationâ? At one meeting one gentleman was in anguish until I pointed out it was 1 Penny in every ÂŁ. Then we let âpecuniary interestâ be shortened to âinterestâ and councillors were stopped for speaking in defence of those they represented because they had shown an âinterestâ by finding out the facts. Now we have allowed Mrs Mayâs Sellout to be called a âdealâ. British people want a âTrade Dealâ – nothing is on offer until we leave so the sooner the better!
MPs must show Mrs Mayâs âgritâ and stand firm!
January 28, 2019
A good piece, JR – a voice of clarity and sanity, that reflects the will of so many quiet UK citizens, who never get to be interviewed by the media. So many others are confused by all the loud-mouthed punditry, which is why clarity is so important. Some of your fellow ERG colleagues need to understand this, too – they do not engender confidence.
January 28, 2019
This morning I have had to listen to Spellman and Bromy telling us why they should be able to ignore the will of the electorate and allow a disfunctional Parliament to take control of Brexit.
The decision on Brexit was handed to the electorate. Government was supposed to carry out the decision. Parliament was reduced to a cameo role. The did not like it but those were the rules under which the referendum was run.
As a product of May’s appalling negotiation many in Parliament who did not like the decision of the electorate now wish to put the boot in and thwart Brexit. Parliament is a Jekyl &Hyde organisation, totally schizophrenic. They have overwhelmingly passed all those bills necessary to put Brexit in process with the EU, now thanks to May and forgetti g to take their medication, they are working to subvert it and thow the process into chaos. What a dreadful cat house they have become.
January 28, 2019
I can’t see Labour voting for a Withdrawal Agreement even without the backstop as it removes their ability to nationalise should they come to power. It may however get some anti-Corbyn labour MP votes who don’t want nationalisation. Labour are keeping very quiet about this
January 28, 2019
There’s a hole in the bucket dear Liza, dear Liza,
Well Fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it!
So the song goes..round and round until it comes back to where it started.
But it’s a stupid song
January 28, 2019
Way before Brexit came on the scene the fault lines in the UK form of democracy were apparent. The electorate have one vote each, and that includes the chairman of the CBI and any other potential lobbying group. However at present anyone with enough power behind them, corporate, political, international trade unions, journalists et al, can walk into Downing Street, depending who is there, and forcefully express their views and demands. At a lower level MP’s can be lavishly wined and dined to express the views of lobbyists. In other words, the establishment in it’s widest sense has much more clout than the electorate. Nowhere is this clearer than in the fiasco of Brexit. This has got to change post Brexit.
January 28, 2019
Nor forgetting the astonishing fact that Parliament funds so called charitable groups with millions to lobby them with their generally antisocial often PC and green crackpot ideas.
January 28, 2019
John, a serious point.
You do realise that the UK can withdraw from any international treaty whenever it wants.
So the Government have the power to put a backstop on any Treaty that says it will expire on a particular date.
Like Dorothyâs red slippers we can leave OZ whenever we want.
Reply Not true. UK very keen to play by the rules and not to unilaterally renounce a Treaty where there is no exit provision
January 28, 2019
Invoking Article 50 was the first mistake, and a big one. It immediately set the UK on the path of complying henceforward with conditions set by the EU. That was wrong and entirely unnecessary. In terms of our laws and the EU’s we were entitled to leave on the spot and leave without being told what to do. It is clear from these proceedings that the concept of a sovereign UK is anathema to May and her chums and they are absolutely determined to do everything in their power to ensure that it will never happen. They are succeeding too.
January 28, 2019
Now black ops have recruited all the major food retailers. If they are all so concerned why have they not lined up alternative sources in Africa, the USA, Israel, Australia , New Zealand etc. What sort of political chaos do you think it will cause in the EU if all that food is rotting in Calais. Get real Tesco et al, we have sussed you. Or is it a price hike ploy like sprouts at Christmas.
January 28, 2019
Perhaps Brexit is all a cunning plan for to save the NHS.
Diabetes will become a non-problem within weeks as weâll all be starving.
Elderly people will die off quickly as there are no EU care workers left to look after them.
And sick people wonât get their medicines either.
I should set myself up as an undertaker.
January 28, 2019
Or stand-up comedian.
January 28, 2019
Our carers and undertaker were all English people.
January 28, 2019
Project Fear was being ramped up to extreme levels on World at One, apparently we are all going to starve, though why people would stop selling us food or why the Government would block food imports was not explained. All the scientists are going to leave, though Dame Manningham-Buller did not explain why scientists who have come from around the world should leave because we left the EU. Finally our security was at risk, though it seemed to me that being able to stop anybody coming into the country, like the Albanian gangsters who have apparently been allowed to set up here under free movement , was going to be a plus for our security. They did miss out the bubonic plague , aircraft falling out of the sky, and WW III, but may be they are keeping those for tomorrow.
January 28, 2019
According to the BBC it was Sainsbury and Asda, so I will not shop there.
January 28, 2019
The letter from the food retailers answers your question, but then you never bothered reading it. Your denialism illness prevents you from accepting reality.
January 28, 2019
Supporters of May’s sell out are now arguing that the Queen’s mild advice, in her local WI, to respect the other side and come to an agreement means that she supports the Withdrawl Agreement, which is a No Deal Yet for ÂŁ39,000,000 up front. Well, if you’re a QUINO what’s wrong with a BRINO.
It looks like most Tory and Labour MPs and that ………. Libdem from Carshalton all want to continue being Members of PINO. Having just been shafted for very large amounts of income tax and additional NI for nothing, agreeing to hand a lot of it over to pay for EU pensions for years past the referendum and then not taxing the ex Commissioners and diplomats is not a terribly agreeable compromise. My Mrs has been working 12 hour days and weekends for two years, only to have all her savings taken by Mr Hammond and his crew of grabbers and Fear merchants. We won’t be voting Conservative under any circumstances while this lot are running the party.
January 28, 2019
The best part of her advice was “Never lose sight of the bigger picture”.
So, for example, if you are the Queen’s Prime Minister you should not go to a UK car factory and expatiate on how important it is that they can export their cars to the rest of the EU without any tariffs or other barriers, but forget to mention that we buy three times as many cars from the rest of the EU as we sell to them.
January 28, 2019
The Queen referred to a “bigger picture” and despite that bit being quoted less, surely as Head of the Commonwealth she might easily have been referring to the World and WTO. I too will not vote Conservative again, unless we leave WTO as we were told would happen or a very good ‘no payment’ no ties deal instead.
You might find this interesting. Not only are the EU not Member States liable, which was confirmed by the EU below, but we have paid for EU pensions once already as EU salary deductions and payments to the EU which both went into the EU Pension Fund. If and I do not see why we would, we were to agree to administer pensions for British EU staff then we should be getting a refund plus interest or investment income back from the EU on those amounts:
https://gerardbattenmep.co.uk/2017/11/30/mep-pension-fund-why-the-eu-wants-our-50-billion-they-are-taking-the-british-tax-payers-for-mugs/
January 28, 2019
Nero fiddles while Rome burns and in the meantime tick tock. Äčatest news from all of the big food retailers gives a stark warning about the possibility of empty shelves- but more project fear I suppose
January 28, 2019
So the fix is in. Boris polishing his leadership credentials as a team player, plus others, say that if we get some sort of statement on the Backstop, that will be good enough.
So no freedom from the ECJ, ability to set own VAT rates, own competition and subsidy policy, we will be tied to the EU, no own environment policy, no total control of our borders, fisheries etc etc
We are being sold out unless Sir JR this is a misinterpretation?
January 28, 2019
Paul M
We cannot be certain why Labour MP’s voted against the Withdrawal Agreement, on the face of it because they did not want to leave the EU. Then there is the proposition they wanted to bring the Government down, followed by a General Election.
Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer say they want a Customs Union on their terms after brexit. So how do they achieve that? They can only force that after accepting the Withdrawal Agreement and in the following transition period. Barnier has made it clear, it is the only way Article 50 allows, in fact he might expedite it.
Frustrating brexit will only see the NO DEAL default occur and any Article 50 extension will only delay it.
January 28, 2019
We are now told that she has ruled out No Deal but hasnât the courage to tell us. What happened to No Deal is better than a bad deal?
The fix is in.
January 28, 2019
Nigl- somebody has to step into the breech and save England from herself
January 28, 2019
Having heard all the arguements I conclude that “The Backstop” is a totally artificial constrution that emanates from Barnier’s vow in 2016 to make life so difficult for the UK that they will not wish to leave. He is happy to risk “The Good Friday Agreement”to achieve his ends.
Apart from the inconvenience of 20 miles of water at Dover ,what is so different about the Irish border. Whatever trading arrangements we end up with between the UK &EU there will be a standard requirement in the electronic exchange of information to satisfy customs, tax authorities, and end user. The idea that you need jobsworths in flat hats and pole barrier is utter nonesense. The only people demanding such are either the figuative ex dustmen in Parliament with no knowledge of how import/exports work, or those like the PM of Ireland who have a political axe to grind on behalf of their masters in the EU.
May should go back to Brussels and tell them where to put their backstop. She should add that the EU have shown such bad faith in these negotiations that we assume that this will be their modus operandi when trade is discussed. Based on this there will be no payment of ÂŁ39 billion until a satisfactory trade agreement is reached. The alternative is that we leave on WTOrules on 29th March. The above would begin to look more like a negotiation. I have personally had enough of May crawling on her knees all the way to Brussels with a scallop shell in her hand.
January 28, 2019
Well said John, we must remember that Leave is the democratic majority and we expect Parliament to listen to the referendum result.
January 28, 2019
JR
“Parliament must now let us leave. To do otherwise is to go to war with the people.”
Well I’m glad you said it first, because that’s exactly what will happen, JR.
January 28, 2019
Tony Blair on twitter comments that the majority margin was not sufficient to not give the remainers a voice.They have had time and are still bickering.
January 28, 2019
The division among our people has to close. Its a difference in outlook. Remainers are very concerned about the financial and economic aspect of leaving the EU. Brexiteers feel the way I do and that is get the hell out of the EU no matter what it takes. One is economic, the other is political.
IF the EU had actually remained as a very clever, organisational networkable, community trading brokerage for Europe I doubt that Brexiteers would feel as passionately as they do. But they haven’t. We have been fed media drip drip stories about the EU for years now – which is quite possibly why we voted to leave it in 2016. Since 2016, more and more stories, films, articles and details of deals with the EU have become common knowledge and while one side can use rebuttals against the other, the other can too.
Unfortunately we will go round and round the bloody table until 29th March – and Parliament’s paralysis is bringing into sharp relief just how deeply the people of this country care about this issue. From both sides.
I do sympathise with remainers who may be worried about a life change. I went through that recently. My husband is going through it now. If you think running a business in this country at the moment is hard, try bloody setting one up.
I am going through a complete and total change in my life. I have literally gone from riches to rags. However, I cannot and will not EVER endorse an organisation that wants a federal Europe and shows its power by walking into governments and law courts. They have stated they want our sovereignty and I believe that their agenda is to become the new world order – if they haven’t already. I noticed with alarm some years ago that a European trading brokerage (EU) rep was standing on a stage at a peace talk in Syria. Now they want an army. They show contempt for the world’s only super power (the USA) and they seem to want to punish us as the world’s only global power. I have to say I do not come to pretty conclusions about them.
Now I know that may look like I’ve gone from being a reasonable person into a slavering idiot but I grew up around people who had come back from a world war. A time when the whole damned world hated each other over a federal Europe. I cannot in true conscience ever support a similar effort – even if I end up living on a bench in a park. I would actually rather die poor with my morals intact. People are still living within memory of a time when millions were killed.
Far from their promotion of being ‘peacekeepers’ I have read the list of sanctions they have against Russia who rather coincidentally seems to want back an empire of their own and I believe they want an EU army because they want war with Russia. So my only conclusion now is that they aren’t peacekeepers at all. They are invasive and aggressive and it would seem unaccountable to the people. I think they will create another world war rather than stop one.
This is perhaps why Remainers will not change Brexiteers’ minds – in fact they will cement their opinion for them. It isn’t about money for us.
January 28, 2019
While the ‘paper thin majority’ argument is constantly used – this is what Parliament, the Government and Theresa May need to recognise and understand:-
LEAVE:
East Region: LEAVE (34) Remain (5)
E.Midlands Region: LEAVE (38) Remain (2)
North East Region: LEAVE (8) Remain (1)
North West Region: LEAVE (32) Remain (7)
South East Region: LEAVE (44) Remain (23)
South West Region: LEAVE (28) Remain (10)
Wales: LEAVE (18) Remain (4)
W. Midlands Region: LEAVE (29) Remain (1)
Yorkshire & Humber Region: LEAVE (18) Remain (3)
REMAIN:
London: REMAIN (29) Leave (4)
Totals: 2,263,319 Remain against 1,513,232
– approx 750,000 vote advantage to Remain in London.
N.Ireland: REMAIN (440,707) – Leave 349,442
– approx 91,000 vote advantage to Remain in N.Ireland.
Scotland: REMAIN (32) Leave (0)
Totals: 1,661,191 Remain against 1,018,322 Leave
– approx 643,000 vote advantage to Remain in Scotland.
Those are sobering figures and give a much stronger indication of WHY leaving the EU won.
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/elections-and-referendums/past-elections-and-referendums/eu-referendum/electorate-and-count-information?fbclid=IwAR11elm8UjyIe5oos3Bi7_AexOXzgeytbrvJJ2mROiR-pHh8dM8BWZdtZUc
January 28, 2019
Excellent and well-written Article. This is a critical time in UK politics, a potential turning point that takes us away from having the Mother of all Parliaments. I hope these MPs realise the damage that they are doing if they put their own personal preferences above the explicit instruction of the people.
January 28, 2019
“Parliament must now let us leave. To do otherwise is to go to war with the people.”
Which side of the people divide? The 17m leavers or the 16m remainers? (the young against the old?)
January 28, 2019
You either understand democratic political systems and the powers of a majority vote or you don’t
51 versus 49 is a decisive vote.
January 29, 2019
So MP’s think they can hide afterwards on this one are deluded.
They need to think clearly as things could quickly move outside of control.
Parliament cannot break with “the peoples” vote to leave without breaking parliaments authority.
I will not support any party that breaks faith with the British simply stated vote to Leave. No more delays.
That currently means UKIP.