Undemocratic MPs who want to reverse the referendum

Take back control of our money, our laws and our borders. It was a straightforward and very popular proposal. It received more votes than any other idea or party in our democratic history.

More than 82% voted for candidates in the 2017 General election who promised to implement the result. So why are there now so many MPs who will do anything to delay, dilute or cancel Brexit? What part of Leave did they not understand? Why do they presume that they now know better than the voters, and know better than they did themselves when they were seeking votes two years ago?

The TIG s or Change UK have set themselves up as an MP group to help thwart Brexit in the Commons. The BBC gives them plenty of coverage as our national broadcaster panders to the views of a tiny party with MPs as they seem to like their anti Brexit stance. These MPs do not want a general election any time soon and refuse to put themselves up for by elections despite changing the party they were elected to be part of. They get on well together looking down on the majority who voted for Brexit.

You couldnt make it up that Change UK tells us the public do not trust current politics and want change. They are right. The public does want change. The change the public wants is for MPs like them to keep to their election promises and to back Brexit. They say they want a new and better democracy yet they refuse to accept and implement the people’s choice. They are the opposite of democrats. They spend most of their time trying to thwart the wishes of the electors. The advocates of a peopleā€™s vote refuse to accept the verdict of the huge Peopleā€™s vote we did hold.

214 Comments

  1. Dame Rita Webb
    April 26, 2019

    Pity the BBC is not covering the past expenses claims of these TIG MPs

    1. Lifelogic
      April 26, 2019

      Excellent articles in the spectator this week on their coverage of the appalling terrorist incidents by Rod Liddle and on the appalling sacking of Roger Scruton by Douglas Murray.

    2. oldtimer
      April 26, 2019

      Expect nothing less from the BBC! Or indeed any balanced comment or reporting on the Parliament Vs the People battle now underway.

      1. Lifelogic
        April 26, 2019

        The BBC is a blatant propaganda outfit on the EU, on climate alarmism, on lefty magic money tree economics, on diversity, on politicial correctness, on identity politics, the politics of envy, on over taxing and regulation and on the non existant gender pay gap. They are wrong on almost everything – just like T May and J Corbyn (but at least he used to be right on the EU and his brother is right on Climate Change).

        1. Stephen Priest
          April 26, 2019

          Corbyn’s Brother hates the EU as well

          He’d be the ultimate far left wing catch for the Brexit Party.

          1. Stred
            April 27, 2019

            And Piers thinks he knows more about climate change than a 16 year old zeolot with Aspergers that Michael Gove uses as his expert.

        2. gimmeabreak
          April 28, 2019

          “Climate alarmism”. Scientific FACT: having an atmosphere or not having an atmosphere has a crucial effect on the way a planet retains or does not retain the energy it receives from the sun. Hence the nightside of atmosphereless Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, is immensely colder than Antarctica. By contrast, the nightside of venus, which is millions of miles further from the sun than Mercury is hellishly hot – despite its slow rotation. Why? Because venus has a very dense atmosphere which is mainly composed of Carbon dioxide which prevents heat from radiating into space. Without Carbon dioxide and other “greenhouse gases” in its atmosphere the earth would be a ball of ice. Ergo CO2 has a plays a crucial role in the habitability of this planet. Increasing the amount of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere is not going to have zero effect. The degree of that effect is a valid matter of debate, but dismissing the possibility of catastrophic outcomes because it does not fit your ideological preferences is not rational.

          1. Edward2
            April 28, 2019

            Over 90% of CO2 is naturally occurring
            Of the 10% produced by mankind less than 1% is created by us here in the UK
            The saving of reducing the UK to zero CO2 would be replaced by China and Indias increases in less than one year.
            Your predictions for the end of the world is ridiculous.

    3. Julie Dyson
      April 26, 2019

      The petition (google ‘bbc petition’) for a public inquiry into the bias in the BBC has now received over 98,500 signatures. Just a final nudge needed — at 100,000 it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

      It’s past time that this embarrassment of a ‘National Treasure’ be properly held to account. Its bias continues unabated, with last night’s Question Time having four pro-Remain / BRINO MPs on panel and only actor John Rhys-Davies calling for democracy to be upheld. Utterly shameful.

      1. bigneil
        April 26, 2019

        100% correct Julie.

      2. Bob
        April 26, 2019
        1. Tad Davison
          April 26, 2019

          Signed

        2. Martyn G
          April 26, 2019

          Signed….

      3. BW
        April 26, 2019

        You are having a laugh. Where have you been. They didnā€™t listen to 17.5 million. They are hardly going to listen to 100,000. Besides it only requires them to debate the issue. Therefore a bit of mud slinging and off to the subsidised bars. Tick the box job done, submit an expense claim.

      4. mancunius
        April 26, 2019

        Many thanks – signed!

      5. Geoff
        April 26, 2019

        Absolutely spot on Julie, well said.

      6. M Davis
        April 26, 2019

        Thanks, Julie – Signed! At this moment, there are 99,549 signatures.

      7. Julie Dyson
        April 27, 2019

        I am absolutely delighted to report that the petition for a public inquiry into the bias in the BBC has just passed the requisite 100,000 signatures.

        My thanks to everyone who took the time to support this important issue, and especially to our kind host for graciously allowing the matter to be raised here.

    4. Stephen Priest
      April 26, 2019

      The fill name of TIG should be:

      The Independent (from British Voters) Group
      Or
      Change UK (law so that only Remain votes count)
      Or
      One Small Party, Two Huge Egos – Chuka Umunna & Anna Soubry (OSP THE CUAS)

  2. Pominoz
    April 26, 2019

    Sir John,

    And the most undemocratic of them all is our Prime Minister who still seems determined, one way or another, to get her putrid WA passed. I see she has now committed the UK to spend Ā£100 million on EU elections, but will then be doing her very best to ensure that those UK MEPs elected will never take up their positions.

    What an absolute tragedy. She is prepared to waste not only this enormous sum of money, but also the time of the candidates, the electoral officials, the canvassers and the voters, just so that she can achieve her own blinkered ends. What a pathetic, selfish and totally misguided individual. A sane person would surely recognise the harm being done to the country by prolonging the uncertainty for UK businesses.

    And who is to say that she will achieve anything by 30th June? With her mindset, the attitude will probably be ā€œNever mind, I now have until the end of October to grind the UK further into the mireā€

    Surely something can be done to put us all out of this misery ā€“ but NOT approval of that WA!

    P.S. Has the Government responded to the legal claim by the English Democrats that the UK left to EU on 29th March 2019?

    1. Alan Jutson
      April 26, 2019

      agreed

    2. Stred
      April 26, 2019

      May has also signed the UK to support the EU armed forces and to support EU policy but not to leave on WTO terms until the extension finishes. The head of the civil service has ordered loyal civil servants to stop preparing to leave and to keep secret the many steps already made to leave on the promised date. Letwin, who had a hand in the appointment of Robbins, has, together with Cooper, passed a bill to stop the UK leaving and May accepts this willingly. It is not only the TIG shysters who are breaking their promise to the electorate and lying about our inability to leave and trade as we do with the rest of the world while 78% of businesses are unaffected. We need a general election with the Brexit Party ready to expose the lies to the public with the BBC and Sky unable to continue their blackout on information about the capitulation agreement and the ability to leave on WTO terms and agree to continue on terms to please the hard pressed continental car makers.

    3. matthu
      April 26, 2019

      Yes, the government must have responded (as they did also – unsuccessfully – to the Gina Miller case).

      Robin Tilbrook revealed (via faceBook on 24 April) that the Claimant were currently filing in the High Court their ‘Claimant’s Reply to the Defendant’s Summary Grounds of Resistance’ in:- The Queen on the Application of the English Democrats ā€“ v ā€“ The Prime Minister (1) The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (2) ā€“ Case No. CO/1322/2019.

      (There is also a blog at Robin Tilbrook dot blogspot dot com where I would expect to see an update soon.)

    4. Mark B
      April 26, 2019

      The US political system is set up in such a way to prevent such things. For example. A President can only have a maximum of two terms in office. The have two houses that are both elected and separate from the office of the Presidency. After this I think it high time we started to row back a lot of the powers of the PM.

      1. NickC
        April 26, 2019

        Mark B, Yes it is clear that a PM has too much power. Both Tony Blair was, and Theresa May is, rogue. The PM’s power, and party tribalism keeps them in place. One way of curtailing the PM’s power would be to remove the No.10 Unit so that a PM is forced to rely on the official Ministries. That would help restore Cabinet government.

        The current system is defended by some civil servants on the lines that it is perfectly normal to have competing teams look at a policy separately. Up to a point, Lord Copper. That could take place within a Department, it does not require a government within a government, as happened with the Chequers duplicate WP debacle.

        1. Lifelogic
          April 26, 2019

          The speaker has far too much power too. More than the 17.4 million voters it seems. He is also totally unsuitable to hold any position of power at all.

      2. chasD
        April 26, 2019

        Yeah .. they also have hanging chads and who gets the less votes can be president..according to collegial system..its all mad..made up to confuse..just like we have 800 plus unelected in the HoLs..its all mad

    5. William Simpson
      April 26, 2019

      It’s still under Judicial Review, (which, as Richard Tilbrook notes, “does not happen overnight”). I don’t suppose the UK Government will react until the High Court has concluded its review, and only if the case proceeds.

    6. James Bertram
      April 26, 2019

      Pominoz – it is not just Ā£100 million. Get Britain Out calculates that staying in the Eu to the end of October will cost the tax payer Ā£12.1 billion pounds (about Ā£182 for every adult and child in the UK). Then, as you say, there is the cost to business and individuals over the continuing uncertainty. The whole of the UK is paying for this democratic betrayal and ineptitude.
      The responsibility for this rests with the Conservative Parliamentary Party. The failure of the 1922 committee to remove May immediately is an utter disgrace.
      Eurosceptics have the power to bring down this Quisling government, and they then can split off and form the Real Tory party and win the next election (Farage has shown how popular this course of action would be), yet they won’t do this. Thus, by putting party before country, they are equally to blame in continuing this farce.
      Meanwhile the Country and Democracy are being trashed – while they just sit on their hands.
      Anyone voting Conservative in the forthcoming elections is a fool, or worse.

    7. bigneil
      April 26, 2019

      Pom
      ” What an absolute tragedy. She is prepared to waste ”
      You can do a slight alteration to your grammar and get another version.
      ” What an absolute tragedy she is. Prepared to waste “

    8. Fuddy Duddy
      April 26, 2019

      “Has the Government responded to the legal claim by the English Democrats that the UK left to EU on 29th March 2019?”

      Thanks JR for telling us that you have no idea.

    9. Steve
      April 27, 2019

      Pominoz, noting your doubt that TM will not achieve anything by June 30th, I think we’ll all be in for a nasty shock or two.

      The BBC anti brexit propaganda machine has gone very quiet, so too TM herself and Parliament. Which is precisely when you can bet your life she’s weakening the country even further behind everyone’s backs.

      Only the woman herself, the EU commission, and her little Irish (friend ed), know what’s going on while the rest of us have to be incessantly informed of world events that do not affect us.

  3. Mick
    April 26, 2019

    Change U.K. along with all the other undemocratic mps and MEPs candidates with feel the wrath of the people in next months Eu election and when the GE comes around the now sitting undemocratic mps will be kicked out of Westminster and go pick up there P45ā€™s , how great that will be to see the smug looks wiped off the faces of sourbry grieve Wollaston and all the other undemocratic muppets

    1. matthu
      April 26, 2019

      By all accounts the public want rid of the PM for obstructing Brexit. So why the hesitancy displayed by the 1922 committee? Media are saying that it is because they see Boris as a greater evil – even though that would by all accounts be another outcome favoured by the public.

      1. Angry of Luton
        April 26, 2019

        The rules say she can be challenged only once in 12 months. So she should have been challenged ONLY once it was clear she would lose. Instead Baker and Rees Mogg rushed to challenge her last December – and failed. Don’t blame the 1922, they are simply playing it by the book. Blame the bungling of Baker and Rees Mogg and the rest of the ERG. There’s a reason they lose every fight going – they’re not the sharpest tools in the box are they

        1. matthu
          April 26, 2019

          The rules say … and the 1922 committee are able to change the rules but this week elected not to despite having been presented with evidence of overwhelming dissatisfaction with the PM at grass roots level.

        2. Helen Smith
          April 26, 2019

          Your post is incorrect. May supporters put in letters in order to have the vote early. She also, by all accounts, told MPs in the hours before the vote that she would get the backstop removed to win them over.

          1. Ken Bull
            April 26, 2019

            And they believed her??
            They are even more stupid than we thought

          2. Tad Davison
            April 26, 2019

            Then they placed too much faith and trust in her word Helen. I made that mistake in 2017. Never again!

            Even now our kind host won’t let me say what they ought to do with that most duplicitous untrustworthy woman! Maybe he ought to get out onto the streets more and feel the depth of the bitter resentment first-hand. Because of May, Tories daren’t even come around my neighbourhood delivering leaflets in case they are physically abused and attacked. That is all May’s doing. She will grind the party into the dirt just to keep the UK inside the EU by whatever filthy means she can.

        3. Lifelogic
          April 26, 2019

          Not their fault, entirely the fault of the 200 fools who voted that they had confidence in this appalling PM and her wretched Handcuff Treaty.

      2. Doug Powell
        April 26, 2019

        It is amazing! The Tory Party is gasping its last breath – the next election of whichever variety will surely see the Last Rites administered, yet the MPs are doing nothing to arrest the damage! Where is the ruthlessness of yesteryear? Only the Blue Rinsers have had the guts to put their heads above the parapet! No doubt true Brits from the Shires – certainly not the metropolitan Elite.

        1. Tad Davison
          April 26, 2019

          Spot on, but ageist Andy will no doubt have some derogatory comment to make.

    2. Alison
      April 26, 2019

      It’s trendy and politically correct to love the EU. ‘Love’ for many, I think, is the operative word – it’s almost a religious cult. Nothing the EU does is morally wrong.

      The EU’s PR material is usually worded that way as well – EU activity is morally good. Done for the good of people … rather than done for the purpose of furthering the grand scheme of creating a single EU state – one state, in charge of all fiscal revenues and payments, and a military entity, operating outside the EU, with a decision-making apparatus which is two-thirds unaccountable, and almost impossible to oppose.

      1. Doug Powell
        April 26, 2019

        Agreed! PC is an upmarket expression for indoctrination! The EU policy is to tell people what to think, it doesn’t want people TO think!

        At the weekend I was door-stepped by a prospective Labour candidate for the local election. I began by asking him his views on a local issue, then I asked him what his position was on Brexit. He told me he voted to remain. During the ensuing 15 minutes he told me of all the disasters that would befall us when we left the EU! Never once did he give any reasons FOR remaining in the EU. It was project all over again! Perhaps it is good news for Brexit that these people never learn!

      2. Tad Davison
        April 26, 2019

        I agree. We read their blinkered pro-EU tosh on these pages almost every day of the week. Incredibly though, I have been thwarted on numerous occasions from absolutely lambasting them. Beggars belief.

    3. Peter
      April 26, 2019

      I donā€™t know about change. It seems to me that nothing much is happening at the moment. May plods on doing little but surviving as prime minister. Talks with Labour are going nowhere, which is of no surprise to anyone.

      May could be trying to wear the public down, hoping she will get her surrender agreement through because the opposition to it dwindles through fatigue.

      1. Steve
        April 26, 2019

        Peter

        When May goes quiet and so too the BBC propaganda machine, that’s exactly when she’s up to no good behind our backs.

        Talking of fatigue….the traitors in Parliament are now claiming the stress they are under is unbearable. Oh my heart bleeds. If I had Ā£80K PA for the stress I’ve had during my lifetime I’d be laughing all the way to the bank.

    4. cynic
      April 26, 2019

      Regarding kicking out undemocratic M Ps, this is now more plausible if the Brexit party field candidates.

    5. Andy
      April 26, 2019

      Um – all of these MPs were last elected AFTER the referendum.

      A referendum in which, it must be remembered, the country was split pretty much down the middle.

      A referendum in which millions of largely remain backers were denied a vote.

      Describing these MPs as ā€˜undemocraticā€™ for representing at least half the country is simply bonkers.

      1. Timaction
        April 26, 2019

        Total nonsense. Vote leave won with a majority of over a million people. In any democracy with a binary choice the remainiacs should honour the vote or welcome in a dictatorship which is where we are with this rogue Parliament at the moment. We are still waiting to leave 3 years AFTER that vote.

        1. Tad Davison
          April 26, 2019

          Ah, but that is the crux of it TA, you used the magic word – honour!

          There is far too little of it about, least of all in Downing Street or in the remain camp that will try anything to stop Brexit.

        2. Andy
          April 26, 2019

          Um – the people who need to ā€˜honour the voteā€™ are the people who made the undeliverable promises in 2016.

          I am a passionate remainer. But Iā€™d accept a Brexit like the one promised by Vote Leave. They promised all of the benefits of EU membership with none of the responsibilities and costs. And several Vote Leave bigwigs have been sat around the Cabinet table pretty much since the referendum failing to deliver on their promises.

          Instead of blaming those of us who told you Brexit was a lousy and undeliverable idea for Brexit being a lousy and undeliverable idea, you should blame those who sold you a dud in the first place. And you should blame yourself a little too for falling for their falsehoods.

          1. Edward2
            April 26, 2019

            Andy
            Please quote who said we could have “all the benefits with none of the responsibilities and costs”?
            I cannot remember who said it.
            Can you?
            Or did you just make it up?

          2. NickC
            April 27, 2019

            Edward2, Andy is just making it up as usual. One of the main priorities of VoteLeave was to have our own trade policy – for Andy’s benefit, since he’s a bit dim, that means no customs union. So, clearly, trade was not intended to be an EU policy after we left! Neither was law-making, laws, courts, borders, fish, money, or single market. There’s nothing left for Andy.

          3. Edward2
            April 28, 2019

            No reply from young Andy so the answer is yes he did make up that quote which he based his post on.

      2. yossarion
        April 26, 2019

        What Country are you talking about Andy?, are you saying Scotland is not a Country. If you are talking about the UK as a Country? it is not and never has been anything more than a political Union, and there lye’s the problem, you can’t have a Union within a Union, therefor there needs to be an English Parliament in the name of Equality.

        1. Andy
          April 26, 2019

          Sure you can. And if you want an English Parliament ask Westminster for one. Nobody is Brussels is stopping you.

          1. yossarion
            April 27, 2019

            I think you have been living in a different world over the last twenty years, the Establishment have shut down or watered down the argument over an English Parliament, they even cut of a Lady from the CEP who got through to Blair on the Nicky Campbell show some years ago as soon as She mentioned an English Parliament. Maybe, your not English or don@t live in England?

        2. JoolsB
          April 26, 2019

          Totally agree yossarion. The Tory party there by the grace of England have ignored and neglected England for far too long. Hopefully the Brexit party will give England equality. The ‘Tory’ (??) party deserve our contempt.

        3. Steve
          April 26, 2019

          yossarion

          “What Country are you talking about Andy?, are you saying Scotland is not a Country.”

          Well actually maybe some truth in it. Some years ago the BBC began referring to the Scottish Assembly as ‘The Scottish Government’

          I might have missed it but I don’t recollect any repeal of the act of union, and the Scottish far right lost the last referendum on independence. (which they would not have lost if the English were allowed their right to vote as well )

          Similarly, you might have noticed the BBC has recently also taken to referring to the Welsh Assembly as a government.

          If those two regions are sovereign states, in as much as as having their own governments, then the location of HMRC offices there would surely be illegitimate ?

          1. Fedupsoutherner
            April 26, 2019

            Quite right Steve. The Scots only have an assembly. They are not a government although many of us wish they were. They are nothing but troublemaking rabble.

      3. Anonymous
        April 26, 2019

        Um – When Remain have won and the 1922 committee look as weak and helpless as spring lambs why are we putting up with Andy on this site ?

        What purpose does it serve ? Balance ? To show we’re better than the no-platformers ? Some vain hope that people will realise how awful Remainers really are ?

        So I’m off.

        Andy’s won.

      4. Matt Cronin
        April 26, 2019

        So Andy, my old troll friend,

        do tell me, when after a general electron, has the winning party ever said, “we won on a mandate to do x y z, but because a sizeable MINORITY of you voted against us, we won’t implement what we promised?”

        Jog on good chap

      5. Steve
        April 26, 2019

        Andy

        “A referendum in which, it must be remembered, the country was split pretty much down the middle.”

        Not so. 64% by constituency voted to leave.

        “A referendum in which millions of largely remain backers were denied
        a vote.”

        If that were true, the electoral reform commission would have been on it like a ton of bricks, and we’d never be hearing the last of it from the remain pansies.

      6. John Hatfield
        April 26, 2019

        Andy, an extract from the 2017 Conservative Manifesto, signed by the Prime Minister.
        “As we leave the European Union, we will no longer be members of the single market or customs union.
        The principle is clear, the days of Britain making vast annual contributions to the European Union will end.”
        It’s no good you pretending that candidates didn’t know what they were voting for. Undemocratic or worse.

      7. Original Richard
        April 26, 2019

        By constituency leave won 64:36 so a majority remain Parliament is not representative.

        1. Andy
          April 26, 2019

          The referendum was not conducted on a constituency basis. It was not counted on a constituency basis. So your figures are a guess. Yet you portray them as fact. This is why Brexit is such a farce.

          1. Edward2
            April 27, 2019

            Andy
            You regularly write posts on here, where you add anyone who was allowed to vote but did not bother to vote together with anyone who was not legally eligible to vote and then you tell us all these voters were remain supporters and create a fantasy referendum result.

            PS the constituency figures are far more than a guess

      8. Caterpillar
        April 26, 2019

        Andy,

        “denied a vote” – you could have voted Liberal Democrat, read that party’s 2017 manifesto.

  4. Mark B
    April 26, 2019

    Good morning

    I am glad the CUK’s have formed their own Establishment party. We will now have somewhere for those Blairite MP’s to go from all the other parties, allowing to finally put their policies to the voters. This will of course mean full EU membership. Let us see how popular that is ?

    It will also mean that finally we will begin to see a clear three way split in British politics that we have not seen since before John Major.

    To me the CUK’s offer the hope that we will see, with their demise, the end of Blairism.

  5. Ian wragg
    April 26, 2019

    And still you have May in post.

    1. Peter Wood
      April 26, 2019

      Exactly! The 1922 seems to be a pathetic, impotent shadow of its former self, Completely useless.
      And again, with regret to criticise our host, he asks the right question but fails to provide an answer, or even a few possible motives.
      Farage is no saint, but he is correct, the two main parties are not behaving according to the democratic mandate and must be swept away.
      Sir John, just huffing and puffing from the sidelines wont cut it; you Brexiteers need to start doing things!

      1. L Jones
        April 26, 2019

        They seem to be afraid of setting a precedent. But surely the welfare of our country is at such risk in countless ways, precedent should be the very LEAST of their worries.

      2. Ian wragg
        April 26, 2019

        But they won’t. It’s party before country every time.
        As Trump says, drain the swamp . Today Cable was heading the “We are the party of the EU “.
        They tried that at the last election and were annihilated. Will be interesting to see how they do in the EU elections.

      3. Tad Davison
        April 26, 2019

        Peter,

        I thought that myself. Michael Spicer or Archie Hamilton would surely have dealt with this differently (at least I hope they would). Neither would have let a rogue politician trash the Tory party to the extent that they might never come back from the disaster, all because that same rogue politician wanted to underhandedly stop the British people having something they had voted for in a free and fair referendum.

      4. JoolsB
        April 26, 2019

        If only the Tory Brexiteers had the guts to walk away from the party that calls itself Conservative and is anything but and join forces with the Brexit party. What a formidable and unstoppable team they would make.

  6. Alan Jutson
    April 26, 2019

    You only had to view Question Time last night to see how pathetic those Mp’s appearing were making their case.

    The only one talking any sense was the one guest who was not an MP.

    Afraid its members of Parliament who are destroying our so called democracy, as you outline yourself today.

    I cannot wait for the Euro elections to make my displeasure known..

    1. Original Richard
      April 26, 2019

      Please donā€™t wait until the EUā€™s MEP elections, make your views known in the local elections taking place next week.

      Vote for either for a Brexit supporting party candidate or, if none available on the ballot paper, for an independent.

      The remain Conservative MPs need to receive a very big shock on May 2nd in order for them to stop taking their membership and electorate for granted.

      UK sovereignty is far more important than bin collections and it may be too late by the time the EU election date comes along.

      1. Alan Jutson
        April 27, 2019

        Richard

        Rest assured the homework has already been done, none of the traditional main Parties will be getting my vote in the Local Elections which is a bit of a shame for some hard working Councillors, but I am that fed up with all of the major parties, so that is the price they will have to pay.

  7. Roy Grainger
    April 26, 2019

    Good idea for the TIG MP’s to submit themselves for re-election to confirm their new views – how about all those Conservative MPs currently ignoring their manifesto do so too ? Mrs May for example. I suggest you put your own house in order first before moaning about other parties.

  8. Lifelogic
    April 26, 2019

    Indeed, but then voting to remain in the anti-democratic EU surely shows you want to live in an undemocratic superstate.

    Unfortunately the appalling Theresa May & Philip Hammond are busily destroying the conservative party.

    Vote Conservative – We have given you the highest and most complex taxes for 70 years, (rates at over 100% of income or profits in many cases). We have increase serious and other crime rates very considerably since we came to office and we have betrayed you wishes on Brexit. We have also given millions Ā£50000 student debt for worthless degrees. We have made you energy costs about double what they should be.

    But do not worry we are very PC and have enforced gender pay reportiing. This even though there is clearly no gender pay gap that is not entirely explained by the different work life and subject choices the genders take on average.

    Should go down well at the Ballet Box – what do you think?

  9. Adam
    April 26, 2019

    Candidates of so-called Change UK wander in the wilderness.
    They favour Remain.
    Remain = No Change.
    No Chance!
    We of the UK demand our borders, our laws & our money back, including all our change.

  10. Annette
    April 26, 2019

    Sorry John, undemocratic refers to single short-term episodes of ignoring democracy such as stuffing & maintaining a 73% remainer Cabinet rather than reflecting the result of a democratic mandate. The sustained attack against our democracy, whether by the private ltd company (now a party so we might even find out who’s funding them) who want another referendum but refuse to stand for re-election, the Govt who are breaking laws & Constitutional procedures to hide their treason of enslaving our country to a foreign power, or the majority of, what is now beyond dispute, a corrupt Parliament repeatedly forcing votes to get the ‘right’ answer, is far better described as anti-democratic.

  11. Nigl
    April 26, 2019

    Talking of change I see Jeremy Hunt and Lord Adonis have suddenly become Leavers. Pity they, especially Hunt wonā€™t do anything concrete to achieve it. Once again proving that their personal ambition is more import than their principles.

    Frankly egotistical and a shabby contempt for the voting public.

    Ps where is the Attorney Generals reply to your letter or when has he promised it?

    1. Fuddy Duddy
      April 26, 2019

      ‘Ps where is the Attorney Generals reply to your letter or when has he promised it?’

      A pity that JR has forgotten all about that.

      Reply. Not forgotten, still chasing

      1. miami.mode
        April 26, 2019

        NI, FD, Sir JR, you don’t seriously expect a comprehensive answer, do you?

        In my very limited experience of this sort of situation there seems to be 3 possible answers.

        1. To give a full explanation could not possibly be accomplished in a few paragraphs and, indeed, might even run to 585 pages.

        2. A full explanation would entail so much time of the relevant Civil Servants that the value/cost elements are totally exorbitant.

        3. (Unofficial) I’m cornered and must refer to answers 1 or 2.

        They’re not called politicians for nothing. Etymology: poly (prefix) many, tics (n.pl.) trembles (as when a minister apparently has to give a direct answer).

  12. Dominic
    April 26, 2019

    Only a change in the political colour of MPs will ensure the result of the EU-Ref. is adhered to. It is now blindingly obvious to all that the Eurosceptic wing of the Tory party is simply unable to remove the incumbent leader. That is disastrous for the integrity, sanctity and legitimacy of British democracy.

    I also understand why many Tory Eurosceptic MPs refuse to do what Umana and Soubry have done and leave their respective parties and set up a competing party

    With Marxist Labour deciding to remain united behind a crypto-Marxist leader May knows she can assert her dominance over Tory Eurosceptics by conspiring with Corbyn. May doesn’t need the support of her own Tory MPs to circumvent Brexit. She also knows the ERG won’t split the Tory party for fearing of opening the door to red terror and if Labour with SNP alliance do achieve power they will destroy the UK and our freedoms.

    The North of England is where the real battle for the UK and Brexit lies. Decent, moral, traditional working people. Apolitical to the core but naive on the issue of what Labour’s now morphed into.

    I had to explain to my own parents that Labour died in the 1970’s following entryism. They no longer vote Labour.

    The electoral opportunity for Eurosceptic Tory MPs and indeed BP candidates in the north is immense. But they must be prepared to enter into political territory that’s been deliberately made toxic to crush debate on important issues such as immigration.

    There can be no sacred cows. Social class instincts need to be neutralised for Eurosceptic Tory candidates to be successful

    Play the betrayal card if you have to. Play any card to expose the sclerotic nature of what both main parties have become and the duopolistic nature of our political system

  13. agricola
    April 26, 2019

    Current MPs are rotten to the core, with the exception of around 100 who still understand the word democracy. The sooner we have a GE with the quislings well identified the better. It spells the end of two party politics. The Brexit party does not have to dig very deep to produce a comprehensive manifesto for change that covers all areas beyond Brexit itself. Time to reconsider you position, party or country and democracy.

  14. Everhopeful
    April 26, 2019

    A Tory party so split over the EU does not have enough power to carry out the business of Parliament properly.
    And unfortunately Remainers see the EU as a far more important power/ provider than Westminster so their loyalty belongs to the EU.
    At any other time in history that would have been viewed with great seriousness.
    As opposition leader, Corbyn should be watching for and exploiting any rifts in the government. And he is!
    etc ed

  15. Fedupsoutherner
    April 26, 2019

    What on earth is a brilliant mp such as yourself doing in a party like this one? I admire Widdicome for making the move. Its about time others stood by their principles and did the same. Farage has more honour and principles than May and her cabinet put together. The whole thing stinks. One of the panelists on QT last night was going on about Britain being the place where democracy is upheld. Was she having a laugh? We, the electorate are truly pissed off we our politicians who are scheming slime balls and with some making money from dodgy companies. How low can British politics sink?

    1. Lifelogic
      April 26, 2019

      The sound wing are going to take it over. Sound real Conservatives should all be joining and changing the party from within not leaving. We have a FPTP electoral system. The Conservative Brand still has value despite its trashing by Major, Cameron and May. All that is needed is a sensible leader with a working compass and JR types of policies.

  16. J Bush
    April 26, 2019

    I received a letter from my Copeland constituent MP Trudy Harrison yesterday, attempting to justify why she supports May’s WA.

    If she thinks sending this 2 page piece of treasonous garbage and self praise prior to the local elections and EU ones (if they go ahead) is going to convince me to vote for the party she is in, she is in for a disappointment. I have already checked who is standing and I will be voting for UKIP and independents.

  17. javelin
    April 26, 2019

    This is one reason why I voted for Brexit. Just stumbled across this piece on the English Democrats website when I was looking to find news on their court case.

    ā€œNearly all new jobs created in the United Kingdom since the 2016 European Union (EU) membership referendum have gone to British workers.

    The number of EU nationals who joined the British workforce ā€” either getting a job in Britain for the first time, or returning to work after a period of absence ā€” was 35,000 since the 2016 Brexit referendum.

    This is less than a tenth of the number who joined in the two years running up to the vote, when the figure stood at 410,000.

    In that period, nearly half of new jobs went to EU citizens, but now they account for around 1-in-20, according to The Telegraph. ā€œ

  18. Oliver
    April 26, 2019

    There’s a video of “ooh, I’ve been to a car factory” Soubry (and another simialr one of Cooper) saying “people have had enough of referendums” etc etc and that the result must be respected… it simply shouldn’t be legal for her to be bleating the stuff she endlessly does – zero credibility, brings politics into disrepute…. Grrr!

  19. rick hamilton
    April 26, 2019

    This site is one of the few places for sensible, well reasoned comments from our thoughtful host and usually reasonable and informed responses.

    Contrast that with the hysterical shouting and yelling on Question Time last night. Only one Brexit supporter on the panel, shouted down at every opportunity. Politicians who can’t see the point of Brexit and don’t have any answers. Panic-stricken Greens who believe the end of the world is nigh because some 16 year old Swedish propagandist said so. Howls of rage that the President of the USA should be accorded a state visit. Why is there never anybody on the panel who actually has some hard facts to offer?

    Obviously it’s not a serious discussion programme anymore, but a gruesome form of entertainment.怀As such, like most of the BBC’s current affairs output, it just isn’t worth watching. Or paying for.

    1. Fred H
      April 26, 2019

      Rick,
      You confirmed my view, formed a long time ago, indeed prior to the latest female host, that the show is merely a leftist, often hate-filled joke of a current affairs airing. Now and again I watch the opening 5 to 10 minutes, but it is soon evident there is an agenda, and the extreme biased audience (where on earth do the BBC find them?) looks for any chance to hoot derision at any reasonable statement or view that does not line up with anarchist ideology. At least it is late at night, when will the Beeb find an excuse to air it earlier hoping to influence the soon-to -vote 16 year olds, if certain parties have their way.

    2. Barbara Castle
      April 26, 2019

      It’s a very clever ploy by the BBC to only ever have one Brexit panelist, because there’s never anyone else to pick up the gauntlet when they get shouted down. The gang of Remainers build on their propoganda, whereas the Brexit argument is cut dead. Mission accomplished.

      1. Doug Powell
        April 26, 2019

        It is well past the time for the “Voice of the EU” to pay its own way in this country!
        Why should the Brexit majority have to foot the bill for propaganda against OUR CAUSE!!!!!!!!!

        1. Tad Davison
          April 26, 2019

          Well said! My thoughts exactly!

  20. Wilfrid Whattam
    April 26, 2019

    How I agree so much with you on these points. It is certain there is underway a tectonic shift in the structure of UK politics. Whatever the outcome (including Labour becoming the party of the left leaning metropolitan, meritocratic middle class), it is assured that Change UK will get their comeuppance.

    Forgive me for combining this comment with one about your Free Enterprise article. You clearly are a strong democrat – the message of this latest article. How far does that extend? Would you, like Hayek and co., want to separate the economic sphere from the social – that is make the economic sphere isolated from democracy? Further, I invite you to try a task somewhat trickier (with regards to your own preferences) than outlining your case for Free Enterprise. How about having a go at making the case for Democratic Socialism. That would test you, and it might give thought to some of your respondents who appear to believe that Corbyn is the Devil incarnate. As in most things in the world, there is a constant tension between risk taking individualism (even selfishness) and secure caring and the common good. We need both in some sort of balance. We all should know that economics and the ‘Market’ are purely human constructs. Therefore, whatever system we prefer must be one that serves humanity, and does not make humanity slaves to abstractions.

    1. Dan Rushworth
      April 26, 2019

      Wilfred, you may well benefit from a good read of Charles Handy- The Hungry Spirit

  21. Kenneth
    April 26, 2019

    The BBC’s output represents a small clique of people.

    Their conversations are so out of step with mainstream opinion as to appear wacky.

    How did this small group get control of powerful transmitters and a massive budget?

    Listening to them plotting to subvert democracy is sickening.

    1. Bob
      April 26, 2019

      “How did this small group get control of powerful transmitters and a massive budget?”

      The national broadcaster is usually among the first targets of any coup d’Ć©tat, and the BBC was a fat juicy target for the Frankfurt School’s “Long March”. The corporation was taken without a shot being fired.

      Most politicians are afraid to criticize the BBC for fear of retaliation [specific exampled self censored].

      The only way to deal with this problem is for the general public to cut off the funding by refusing to pay the BBC Licence Fee, which millions of households have already chosen to do as they’ve switched to on-demand services such as Amazon Prime and Netflix which do not need a Licence.

  22. Sir Joe Soap
    April 26, 2019

    There are also sitting Tories lying that they have done everything to push Brexit but who voted on 27 March not to leave the EU without caving in to the other side. They too should feel the heat of your ire and the electorate.

  23. Narrow Shoulders
    April 26, 2019

    Do as I say not as I do has been the mantra of self styled progressive MPs and advocates since organised government began.

    Give me a free marketeer any day who will look you in the eyes as they screw you over.

    Government does best when it does least.

  24. JoolsB
    April 26, 2019

    Sorry to say it but you could be talking about the majority of your own party in that description John. With the exception of a few honourable MPs in the ERG and DUP and Kate Hoey, the whole of parliament are setting themselves against the people and disobeying the instructions they were given to leave so should not be too surprised when they get annihilated in the forthcoming elections by the Brexit party. I know so many lifelong Tory voters, myself included, who will never vote Tory again not just because of their betrayal over Brexit but because for too long they have shown themselves not to be Tory at all.

    1. rose
      April 26, 2019

      And Graham Stringer.

      1. Tad Davison
        April 26, 2019

        Seconded. I get to hear about some of the nastiness and vitriol that comes their way and it makes me angry. All because the remainers are bitter and twisted and wish to deny the rest of us our democratic rights. All credit to those Labour MPs mentioned for having the bravery to walk into the lion’s den. They deserve our support!

  25. BOF
    April 26, 2019

    IMO every MP who votes for the May/Robbins WA is voting to reverse the result of the referendum, despite their claims to the contrary.

    1. Fred H
      April 26, 2019

      Indeed, it appears certain that the WA actually locks us into the EU, costs us more, and makes it harder to exit in the future. No wonder the PMs voted against 3 times. If No Deal cannot be reached, it would seem preferable to remain, and try again under a new PM and party make up.

      1. Fred H
        April 26, 2019

        oops… meant MPs of course.

  26. Pud
    April 26, 2019

    Bizarrely for a group of Remoaners, the Change UK website doesn’t mention the EU or staying in it at all. The nearest reference is “We believe in maintaining strong alliances with our closest European and international allies on trade, regulation, defence, security and counter-terrorism.”
    Strangely, one of their “shared values” is “Power should be devolved to the most appropriate level, trusting and involving local communities. More powers and representation should be given to local government to act in the best interests of their communities.” which is a direct contradiction of the modus operandi of their beloved EU.

    1. Tad Davison
      April 26, 2019

      Very interesting. Could be a smokescreen designed to confuse the electorate into not really appreciating they are a pro-remain group.

  27. Richard416
    April 26, 2019

    ChUK or whatever they call themselves this week is a party without members, highly suitable to support the e.u., a government without a country.

  28. Bryan Harris
    April 26, 2019

    WHEN:
    – So many actively work against the wishes of the people;
    – Dogma takes precedence over justice;
    – Propaganda is almost overwhelming, but still subtle;
    – The authorities cannot be trusted;
    – Irrational Political activities / responses are replicated around the planet;
    Then it is clear that those who really rule this world are becoming more aggressive in their plans, and too many MP’s are subservient to them.

  29. A.Sedgwick
    April 26, 2019

    The criteria for MPs being selected as candidates and being kept in their jobs post election needs radical overhaul. By elections should be mandatory for those changing party. Any criminal conviction should see an MP barred and removed from parliament, no whims, no delays, no waffle.

    1. Pominoz
      April 26, 2019

      AS,

      Agree entirely

    2. matthu
      April 26, 2019

      I would only modify that by suggesting that only a conviction to a serving MP should remove them from parliament: a spent conviction should not prevent anybody from standing for election or re-election.

  30. nshgp
    April 26, 2019

    Why are their no costings for the Withdrawal Agreement?

    Cost of direct payments?
    Cost of Eurocrat pensions?
    Cost of subsidises to low paid EU migrants, now with the right to dole for life in the WA

    1. Fred H
      April 26, 2019

      It would be clear how punitive it is?

  31. Bryan Harris
    April 26, 2019

    What we are seeing is a breakdown of trust between elected representatives and the people they should be working for. The EU has shown the way in this, by openly ignoring what people want and carrying on as though they had some God-given right to rule, no matter what!
    Some UK MP’s – those that have grown tired of making life and worthwhile things work out, have they realised that within the EU they would be protected and have little real responsibility – a reason to stay under the EU umbrella.
    Most people no longer accept that remain MP’s are fighting to stay in the EU for the benefit of the country.

  32. Turboterrier.
    April 26, 2019

    Sir John

    If nothing else the events over the last few years has highlighted once and for all the chasm that has been created by the political elite not changing the criteria and process of the selection of candidates and the people they purport to serve.

    That is the reason so many just act like sheep. They are educated to achieve the bare minimum to satisfy the existing selection processes and with a few nods and winks from the local constituency party are put up for election all safe in the knowledge they will not cause hopefully too much embarrassment or scandal. It is a win win for all those involved in the selection of candidates. Someone, anyone that is easy to sell to the electorate. The voters themselves are more than partially to blame in that their expectations are not that high. How many times does one her “why bother they are only in it for themselves”

    In the old days the first signs of any scandal, incompetence or misdemeanour it was expected for the politician to fall on his/her sword and clear their name. Now we have the standard reply “I have done nothing wrong” What a way to treat the electorate. Shades of Mrs May refusing to accept that the party is being badly damaged if not heading for total destruction by her refusing to accept the obvious. The woman must go for the sake of the country let alone the party.

    Will anything be changed? No

  33. Peter Miller
    April 26, 2019

    Assuming Theresa is not stupid enough to do a deal with the neo-marxists and the EU election fiasco goes ahead, then hopefully their results will give a very clear message to the Change UK MPs that their views/opinions are irrelevant, likewise to the Remainer rump of the Tory party..

  34. DaveM
    April 26, 2019

    Theyā€™ve been given their opportunity by:

    1. cowardly Cameron having a hissy fit and resigning.
    2. The Con party selecting Mrs Strong and Stable (šŸ¤£šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚) as leader.
    3. The delay of A50 by May.
    4. May working for the EU.
    5. Mayā€™s inability to act without direction from the EU.
    6. May.
    7. May.

    Common theme?

  35. Julie Williams
    April 26, 2019

    Whilst I will “lend” my vote to the Brexit Party in the near future ( or UKIP,monster raving loony or spoily ballots) to remind Parliament of it’s broken pledges on the referendum, my real loyalty will only be gained by a party that promises to clean the Augean stables which we currently have purporting to be democracy and end the public ownership of the BBC so that they can churn out their “soft” propaganda using somebody else’s money.
    If “Change UK” ( a wonderfully ironic name, or whatever else they call themselves this particular week) really want change, they can have it in spades; let’s start with compulsory by-elections when an MP leaves the political party whose platform they got elected on, it’s disingenuous to pretend that most voters vote for the person, not the party.

  36. SueW
    April 26, 2019

    Good morning Sir John,

    I was wondering if you have chased up a response to your letter to the Attorney General yet?
    In the absence of a reply, how would you feel about an open chase-up letter to him in the press? I have no idea what publication in the media would cost, but the points you made need to be publicised as widely as possible and I’m sure crowd funding from your appreciative followers would be forthcoming.

    1. iain
      April 26, 2019

      Still waiting for a response Sir John.

    2. Fuddy Duddy
      April 26, 2019

      SueW – JR has forgotten all about that obviously as he never makes a reply to that question.

      1. sm
        April 26, 2019

        Yes, FD, it’s not as if our host has Parliamentary duties, constituency responsibilities and carries out many pro-Brexit media interviews, all of which would naturally take priority over responses to every posting, is it?

  37. Timaction
    April 26, 2019

    At the moment with the exception of a small minority we have a rogue Parliament out of control and totally out 0f sync with the electorate. The legacies have gone to far and extreme reform is required to put it right. Proportional representation to destroy the fptp system is now essential. The Brexit Party is clearly the way forward or whatever name it comes up with after the European elections. May is now known as an EU official masquerading as our Prime Minister, out of control, out of touch, lying every which way and has destroyed the former Conservative Party who refuse to remove her.

  38. KevinDavies14
    April 26, 2019

    Sir John, Your colleagues in the HoC will face a spectacular shock, the Brexit Party is on course to rid us of charlatans who were elected on their manifesto which included a commitment to leave the EU and are now doing everything they can to thwart it.

  39. Original Richard
    April 26, 2019

    In the first half of the 20th century we had UK citizens who would have preferred if the country was run by the USSR.

    From the second half of the 20th century until today we have UK citizens who believe our country should not be sovereign and prefer it was run by the EU.

    This includes Mrs. May who wants us to sign up to an international treaty with the EU where we accept EU laws, taxation, fines and policies (immigration/environment/energy/foreign etc.) with no representation or veto and from which there is no lawful exit (according to the AG).

    1. Mitchel
      April 26, 2019

      I think more accurately the Fabian/Webbs/Hobsbawm types wanted it to be run like the USSR so that they could become the Commissar class.

  40. Edwardm
    April 26, 2019

    Change UK want the status quo and democracy when it suits them, over which they are getting very excited. I expect the election results in May will bring reality upon them.

    The Brexit process has been very useful in showing how contemptuous MPs are towards the electorate.
    And the Conservative party has decided upon a path to extinction – very strange.
    The people’s ire will not go away and I suspect the Brexit party now has sufficient momentum that it will be a significant threat to established parties.

    I am very grateful to ERG MPs like JR who continue to fight for the wishes of the people and I am very sorry that the rest of their party has let them down.

    1. acorn
      April 26, 2019

      If the Brexit Party does not implode by Christmas, I will be very surprised. The Conservative vote is not as dead as social media (the ultimate weapon of mass destruction) think it is. The Euro election will be a proxy second referendum and cost just as much as the local elections.

      Working on the basis that “Leave” = UKIP +Brexit +CON +DUP. “Remain” = LAB +SNP +LD +CHK +GRN +PC. The following screenshot of a PB table http://www2.politicalbetting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screenshot-2019-04-25T220757.047-1024×474.png is indicating, I reckon, circa 54% Remain to 46% Leave.

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        April 26, 2019

        Oh do give it a rest Acorn and accept the result of the vote. Your polls predicted a remain result and look how wrong they were.

      2. acorn
        April 26, 2019

        BTW. You don’t have to be a Professor of Social Science to understand that the EU’s Mr Tusk, made a fatal mistake by promoting to EU27 leaders, that the UK be allowed to extend Art 50 exit date to the 31st October.

        Guy Verhofstadt, who is nearly as smart as Michel Barnier; from the EU Parliament, was the first to realize that Tusk had put the EU “on the back foot” in the Brexit finals.

        Perhaps Downing Street has some Civil Service techies, who know how to play this like a Poker hand?

      3. Roy Grainger
        April 26, 2019

        Lab is Remain ? Tell that to Corbyn and the Unite Union.

  41. Merlin
    April 26, 2019

    NickC, I will persist in my ‘boring’ comments about leaving with no deal not delivering on the referendum. Firstly, I have been polite and respectful. Please do likewise. It clearly annoys you that I disagree with you, but there is no need to insult me.

    Secondly, a leaflet was delivered to everyone’s house. In that leaflet, it makes no mention at all of No Deal.

    Moreover, at no point was No Deal even mentioned during the referendum. All we heard about we the ‘sunny uplands’ and how the E.U would roll over in a trice when we threatened to leave. Now that hasn’t happened, we are now being informed in fact we voted for ‘No Deal’. How could we have voted for an option that wasn’t even discussed at the time? In my opinion, this is just hardliners trying to rewrite the past.

    1. Fred H
      April 26, 2019

      But it was never about options. It simply said Remain or Leave. Those who had reservations and were anxious for our future outside the EU surely voted Remain. You agree, surely? Those who Voted Leave, did so without concerns about future relationships, with the EU or the Rest of the World. In spite of all the natural concerns about starting afresh, free of the imposed bureacracy, the nation voted with a margin of 4% – not 0.4%. What part of a clear majority don’t you understand? Can we say to the EU, we want to leave now, let us, and we will hold a REF in say 5 years time, can we rejoin then if we vote to? (but on negotiated terms of course, nothing like the WA cave-in).

    2. Fedupsoutherner
      April 26, 2019

      We didn’t vote for a deal. We voted to leave. As john says, leave then negotiate. We would do better.

      1. Richard416
        April 26, 2019

        I agree with Fedupsoutherner. Moreover the reference to “No deal” is incorrect, as other arrangements already exist. |We don’t have to sign up to anything to have deals.

    3. Edward2
      April 26, 2019

      Because Merlin, the term No Deal is part of remain’s Project Fear 2.0 coined by them after the referendum result was announced.
      It shoul be called leaving using the same WTO system that successfully manages over 90% of world trade.
      And yet again I need to remind you the the Withdrawal Agreement is not a deal and it does not enable the UK to leave.

      1. Merlin
        April 26, 2019

        I know you keep reminding me Edward, and I am grateful for it. The withdrawal agreement is still the road to a carefully negotiated deal. Simply leaving is a crapshoot and has no support in parliament whatsoever so it’s a dead duck anyway – nor would the British people accept it.

        I simply do not think it is much to ask for this to be negotiated.

        Why would we ever negotiate when we have left? That would be complete madness ā€¦ and again, nothing I ever heard mention of two years ago.

        I heard about Canada, Norway and Japan I think. Nobody seems to talk about that any more. Ah ā€¦ the good old days.

        1. Edward2
          April 26, 2019

          You mean, yet to be negotiated deal Merlin.

          What exactly is the benefit of the WA?
          If it were passed by Parliament then shortly afterwards we would begin the process of negotiations towards a trading deal with the EU.
          If we leave without Parliament passing the WA then shortly afterwards we begin the….well you can guess the rest.

      2. hans christian ivers
        April 27, 2019

        Edward 2,

        The most successful trading agreements are WTO rules supplemented by additional non-tariff related agreements, so your 90% is not correct

        1. Edward2
          April 27, 2019

          There are a few side deals done in addition to WTO rules to help two trading nations, like the recent EU and USA one concerning the wording of wine bottle labels and that is fine.
          But the basics of WTO rules works for over 90% of world trade.
          The EU just gets in the way with its protectionist schemes.

  42. Peter Parsons
    April 26, 2019

    Another article conflating “what” with “how”.

    Canada, Norway, Switzerland, USA, Mauritania. None are members of the EU and all have different relationships with the EU.

    John Redwood’s preferred leave is “Mauritania, then go from there” (Mauritania is the only country on that list trading with the EU on pure WTO terms), but that form of leave has been shown not to command a majority in either Westminster or in the country as a whole. Until that majority consensus can be found, the current impasse will remain.

    Reply Lies. I want us to have various trading agreements with the EU and we have already negotiated several of them.

    1. Henry Carter
      April 26, 2019

      Peter, you are spot on. What is more, the “Mauritania, then go from there” option is one that VoteLeave explictly ruled out during the referendum. They assured us we would agree a deal with the EU before even sending the Article 50 letter

    2. Dougal Hamer
      April 26, 2019

      Really, Mr Redwood, you show yourself up so very badly with such comments. We have negotiated NO trading agreements with the EU, and we cannot even start trying to do so until we have left the EU. How can you not know this?

      Reply We have a haulage agreement, aviation agreement, government purchasing agreement etc

      1. Sir Joe Soap
        April 26, 2019

        Future arrangements were to be negotiated simultaneously until May caved in. If she can’t do it then somebody else will.

        “8. Free trade with European markets
        That starts with our close friends and neighbours in Europe. So as a priority, we will pursue a bold and ambitious free trade agreement with the European Union.

        This agreement should allow for the freest possible trade in goods and services between Britain and the EUā€™s member states. It should give British companies the maximum freedom to trade with and operate within European markets ā€“ and let European businesses do the same in Britain.

        But I want to be clear. What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market.

        European leaders have said many times that membership means accepting the ā€˜4 freedomsā€™ of goods, capital, services and people. And being out of the EU but a member of the single market would mean complying with the EUā€™s rules and regulations that implement those freedoms, without having a vote on what those rules and regulations are. It would mean accepting a role for the European Court of Justice that would see it still having direct legal authority in our country.

        It would to all intents and purposes mean not leaving the EU at all.”

        May, Jan 2017

      2. Mark B
        April 26, 2019

        Reply to reply

        The EU has allowed these on a temporary basis. This is because without it they will be very badly damaged, as would we. They are NOT long-lasting agreements.

      3. Richard416
        April 26, 2019

        Well said again Sir John – we do not have to have a ‘free trade deal’ in order to trade. anywhere in the world.

    3. Peter Parsons
      April 26, 2019

      To quote your own words from your article on this site from April 19th (one week ago):

      “My advice to the government remains the same. Announce you are cancelling the Euro elections and leave without signing the Withdrawal Agreement. We can leave on 22 May under the extension agreement. Offer talks on a free trade agreement for the day after we leave.”

    4. chasD
      April 26, 2019

      reply to reply..what you want is to have your cake and eat it..you would like a cherry picking deal with no strings..am afraid that has already been ruled out..for very obvious reasons..no need to go into now..so lets start with a Mauritania deal..thats what we voted for

      1. Sir Joe Soap
        April 26, 2019

        May promised she’d negotiate a free trade deal and was re-elected on that basis.

  43. Merlin
    April 26, 2019

    Also, a lot of this argument comes down to whether you are a nationalist or an internationalist.

    Personally I believe we cannot just pull up the drawbridge and no longer be part of international agreements and structures.

    I believe this for two reasons. Firstly, selfish. I fear if we are not at the table, then other international bodies like the E.U will pass lots of legislation which is not in our interests. Secondly, that we can only further British interests by working with other countries, not unilaterally. This is why I am opposed to leaving the E.U completely. I feel it diminishes us as a nation and threatens our economic security.

    1. Fred H
      April 26, 2019

      You seem to have ignored that we import roughly 3 times what we export to the EU. I don’t think the businesses in the EU want to ‘overnight’ lose all that valuable trade with the UK. In fact many countries will lose jobs as a result and create more disillusion with the EU.

      1. A.Sedgwick
        April 26, 2019

        This fact encapsulates May’s duplicity. For any PM acting in good faith this was the first matter i.e. Free Trade Agreement to be decided. If no agreement within six months i.e. 31/12/16 we organise WTO exit. The skills of HK were not remotely needed.

    2. graham1946
      April 26, 2019

      The EU can pass any laws it wants but that doesn’t make it international law and binding on everyone. The only way it can affect us with silly laws to try to stymie the UK is if we sign May’s surrender document, or stay in the EU (much the same thing except without any voting rights, although they are limited in their effect). Which other bodies do you think we will be leaving and who will legislate against us? We do not wish to pull up the drawbridge, the EU has already done that and built a wall around itself to keep out the rest of the world unless their products pay tax. We wish to leave this wallled garden and trade with the other 180 odd counties of the world without let or hindrance.

      1. Pominoz
        April 26, 2019

        Very nicely put.

    3. DaveM
      April 26, 2019

      Nationalists generally are internationalists. They believe in international cooperation within a realist anarchic construct which gives all nations the opportunity to further their own interests via treaties, agreements and alliances.

      What they are not is globalists, who seek a pan-national one-world govt, ruling on behalf of mega-corporations via franchises such as the EU, instructing nation states on how to govern themselves. The U.K. with its seat on the UN SC can temper this for now, but if the EU starts to direct the U.K. and France we have lost any ability to prevent self-governance being removed.

      1. Mitchel
        April 26, 2019

        As the UK is one of the biggest proponents of the so-called “rules-based order” which is nothing to do with international law and everything to do with one-world government,it hasn’t done anything to temper this at the UN as far as I can see.Far from it.

        1. DaveM
          April 26, 2019

          Thatā€™s because up until very recently the U.K. tried to exploit globalist constructs to its advantage. A bit devious perhaps, but no-one else plays fair. However, exploitation of this kind can only be used so long as you can act independently and exert influence within the organisations.

          Capitulation – May-style – to the EU on whatever they tell her to do, (and the impending inability to veto within the EC) means that the U.K. will no longer be able to exploit its membership and therefore will gain no benefit from working within it. Ergo, it needs to become nationalist-internationalist to maintain its influence in the UN and stop trying to appear globalist.

    4. Original Richard
      April 26, 2019

      If we leave the EU we will then be able to represent ourselves at the important international bodies and not be just one of 28 countries (soon to be 34+) under the EU umbrella which is highly unlikely to take our interests into account.

    5. Edward2
      April 26, 2019

      Merlin
      Leavers are internationalists.
      Apart from you, who is proposing “pulling up the drawbridge”?
      Your whole post is ridiculous.

      1. Merlin
        April 26, 2019

        I’m sorry Edward. I didn’t mean to offend, and I always appreciate your good manners.

        I think we may have different definitions of nationalism. I would say leaving the E.U is leaving an international organisation and therefore nationalist. It seems you would not.

      2. Edward2
        April 26, 2019

        You didn’t offend Merlin and thank you.
        I also really appreciate your posts written with good grace.
        Even if I dont always agree with them.
        I simply see the UK becoming more open to the world and promoting world free trade better if we leave the EU

    6. Pudding Pie!
      April 26, 2019

      Better, much better you say you believed… in staying in the EU.
      The vote was carried for Leaving on 23rd June 2016. It has not been enacted so therefore as a democrat you should say you believe…in leaving the EU, you believe that the democratic vote by honoured and enacted.
      Anything contrary to Leaving prior to Enacting should be regarded as Tyranny if you love your country and don’t wish just a one night tart of a country for self-indulgence and utter selfishness.

  44. Charles Crane
    April 26, 2019

    We can all see the tactics here : take the Agreement back to the House and tell them that the only way to avoid the Euro Elections is to vote the WA through.

    I trust there are enough democrats left to stop the damned plot succeeding? God I hope so!

    Farage is right. If you hold the elections, he will sweep the board. If the WA goes through then the backlash at the next General Election by betrayed voters will finish the Tories and Labour once and for all.

    Will no-one rid us of this terrible woman?

    1. Fred H
      April 26, 2019

      It is startling that the Tories do not see the slow death of the party. Votes cast elsewhere might not be temporary. Electors will see promises being kept, and warm to the refreshing honesty of the politics. The comfortable MPs expect to have the status quo, but possibly the biggest shake-up is underway. At least the losing MP gets a decent payoff and pension. My heart bleeds.

    2. DaveM
      April 26, 2019

      Your penultimate paragraph is now what Iā€™m hoping for. Itā€™ll happen sooner or later; LibLabCon have got their heads buried so deep they might as well be in Australia.

    3. L Jones
      April 26, 2019

      But if the Surrender Treaty goes through, then who can say that the next GE will be what WE would call ”free and fair”? The EU will be in charge – and they won’t want an anti-EU party to be voted in.

    4. Mark
      April 26, 2019

      If the Euro elections are cancelled then we leave on June 1st with no deal in place, because there is no way that the EU can ratify the WA: the Extension Agreement is quite clear. Let’s vote to cancel the elections, and be thrown out on 1st June. Approving the WA won’t avoid the need for the elections, since Europarl doesn’t sit again until July 2nd with new MEPs, and it must approve it before the European Council may give its ratification vote in accordance with Article 50. That would leave us being committed to the WA from 1st August, assuming that ratification happened within July.

      1. Stred
        April 27, 2019

        The rules are usually bent when it suits them. The Commission, Tories, Labour and the civil service do not want Farage back. They will probably agree a special delay to the European election for the UK, providing the capitulation is signed off.

    5. Lifelogic
      April 26, 2019

      It seem no one will yet. Let us hope she is prevented from putting the next PM in her Ā£39 billion handcuffs.

      It is not only Brexit this government has everything wrong, highest taxes for 70 years, everything/one is regulated to death, endless PC drivel, climate alarmist drivel, expensive energy, lack of sensible, & competitive banking, proposals to actively thieve off landlords and destroy the market, crime increasing rapidly, a hopelessly organised NHS rationing system, police who just ignore most crimes and appalling and still declining public services as well. They are the complete opposite of what a Conservative Party should be.

  45. bigneil
    April 26, 2019

    off topic
    A news article the other day said an implant had been developed that could read brain signals and translate them into real speech. If true, can we have one put in all politicians – should make for interesting times.

  46. Anthony
    April 26, 2019

    Youā€™re right.

    But these MPs think your analysis is wrong. And these MPs have the power to prevent us leaving and have been effective in this. So the choice, as ever, is imperfect brexit or no brexit. By voting against the withdrawal agreement are let you concerned about no brexit?

    Reply The WA is tge stay in and throw away your negotiating position Agreement

    1. L Jones
      April 26, 2019

      No – the ”choice” was LEAVE or REMAIN nearly three years ago.

      Not ”leave but only if a trade deal can be made”, ”leave but only if they don’t make it difficult for us”, ”leave but only if we can keep certain parts of their rules”, etc. Why do you think that escaping from the EU was other than a simple ”choice”? Being tied up in their self-serving rules was exactly what we want to escape.

      No – the ”choice” was made – and now it’s NOT a matter of choosing between what you call ”imperfect brexit” and ”no brexit”. That ”choice” is no choice at all.

  47. Vernon Wright
    April 26, 2019

    Ask any remainer and he’ll tell you he supports universal equal suffrage (adequating it to ‘democracy’, although it’s not something that would have been recognized in fifth-century Athens, where, in the cradle of democracy, one had to be a property owner at least 35 years of age).

    In 2016 we held the largest exercise in universal equal suffrage in British electoral history. As with all socialists, however, when the result fails to meet their requirements, they reject it.

    The problem is insuperable: we have a parliament in which all, however they describe themselves, are socialists.

    Ī Īž

    1. Fred H
      April 26, 2019

      Vernon, they may wish to be termed Socialists, but all rather comfortably off, certainly not living on average UK wages.

      1. Vernon Wright
        April 26, 2019

        I think you might have read my words back-to-front, Fred: I wasn’t meaning the ‘Champagne’ socialists of Islington &c. The Lib.-Dems. would not think themselves socialist and even the learned and Rt.-Hon. Kenneth Clarke would eschew the title.

        The fact is, however, that all 650 Hon. and Rt.-Hon. members adhere to the credo of socialism, whether on Brexit, on anthropogenic climate change or on politics generally … including, as I said, on universal equal suffrage.

        The trouble is that, when you sever the link between voting power and fiscal responsibility, you inevitably wind up with a situation in which the indigent majority elects those that promise the stars … at the expense of the affluent — for which read ‘industrious’ — minority!

        Ī Īž

        1. hefner
          April 27, 2019

          So, what do you propose? Giving a voting right proportional to the taxes one pays?

  48. ukretired123
    April 26, 2019

    We are witnessing the reality of how politics truly works in this country when we finally arrive at a crossroads in Britain’s history. Never before in peacetime have leaders been stress tested as to where we are going.
    The Brexit waters have been deliberately stirred and muddied for 3 years to create fear uncertainty and doubt by the PM and her remainers and massage the unbelievers via BBC and MSM to think voters got it wrong.
    Creating conflict and skirmishes instead of preparing for Leaving the EU is totally unbelievable and sheer madness but you have to be outside the bubble to see this.
    Westminster is so arrogant and the PM too.
    Imagine voting to be in a permanent state like this locked into the EU without being able to influence it one bit. That is what any WA will be. Just a nightmare on our treasure island forever.

  49. L Jones
    April 26, 2019

    Yes, indeed – all these people are shamelessly undemocratic and (it seems) self-serving. But the big problem is that the PM is too.

  50. Iain Moore
    April 26, 2019

    Brexiteers make the mistake in thinking that those supporting the EU care for our democracy. They don’t , they never have, the EU project was never about democratic principles, quite the reverse , it was about hollowing out our democracy, as was made clear in the referendum where the Brexiteers campaigned on democracy, and the Remainers campaigned on what they claimed was the marginal economic benefits of staying in the EU.

    As for the ChUKs , I too have noticed that the likes of Anna Soubry have been given squatters rights in the BBC studios , nor do they get challenged them on having no democratic mandate. When they first crossed the floor of the HC, they deflected the demand to call by-elections by saying that though they had left the Tory Party they hadn’t joined another, therefore still representing their constituents as independents. Well by having formed the ChUKs that excuse is no longer valid, but it seems to have been forgotten about by the likes of the BBC. But going back to me original point of valuing democracy, when Careswell and Reckless resigned the Tory whip and joined UKIP they called by-elections, they got themselves a democratic mandate, the ChUKs, EU supporters, haven’t and won’t.

  51. margaret howard
    April 26, 2019

    JR

    “More than 82% voted for candidates in the 2017 General election who promised to implement the result.”

    How do you know that? People vote in a General election for a variety of reasons mostly to do with government or their dissatisfaction with certain aspects of it. It is dishonest to claim otherwise.

    You also claim yet again that with Brexit we “Take back control of our money, our laws and our borders.”

    We have control of all three of them never having joined the euro (unfortunately seeing how the Ā£ has plummeted against it, 12% alone since the Brexit vote), EU laws only concern issues to do with trade and our relationship with the other 27 member states, and we are not members of Schengen.

    Why try to mislead?

    1. mancunius
      April 26, 2019

      EU law is – by treaty – superior to that of any national court, and all signatory nations must comply with ECJ decisions.
      EU laws cannot be opposed by parliament.
      EU laws govern every legal sector.

      Schengen is irrelevant. So is the eurozone, for whose failures we nevertheless have to pay.

      You are the one trying to mislead.

    2. Edward2
      April 26, 2019

      I’m amazed at how little pro EU fans understand about the legal powers the EU has over member states.
      Though I wonder if they actually do know but deny it publicly for some strange reason.
      You talk only of laws but the EU’s power comes from the many directives, rules and regulations they pass.
      Their influence stretches far and wide and their long term strategy set out and available for you to read clearly states their ambition to increase their powers over member states.

    3. DaveM
      April 26, 2019

      They voted for lots of reasons, but regardless of those reasons, the indisputable fact is that those partiesā€™ manifestoes pledged to implement the result of the referendum.

      If they had wanted to vote specifically AGAINST leaving the EU, theyā€™d have voted for the LibDems. And they didnā€™t.

    4. Roy Grainger
      April 26, 2019

      Taking back control of our borders means stopping unrestricted freedom of movement from EU countries. Just a clarification there for Margaret who apparently doesnā€™t understand this.

  52. Stred
    April 26, 2019

    In order to prevent this capitulation, written by the EU with British civil servants on the instructions of May, the few honourable MPs who wish to accept the result of the referendum must let their Conservative colleagues know that they will resign and bring down the government if May combines with Labour to vote it through. The Brexit Party would be able to expose the treachery during the campaign. Tory MPs who had acted honourably should not be opposed by the Brexit Party.

  53. Excalibur
    April 26, 2019

    Did you receive, Sir John, a reply to your letter to the Attorney-General regarding the Withdrawal Agreement ?

    1. Fuddy Duddy
      April 26, 2019

      “What letter?” thinks JR.

      1. Pominoz
        April 26, 2019

        Your insult to our host is uncalled for. I remain confident that the issue of a reply is well in his mind and we shall hear more on this site when there is something tangible to report.

  54. hans christian ivers
    April 26, 2019

    Sir JR

    I do not seem to remember anybody saying we could not leave with a good deal attached to leaving the EU?

  55. MB
    April 26, 2019

    In addition to the mostlt corrupt houes of commons, there is the equally corrupt house of so called lords. These so called lords are now saying thet retired people should heve their allowances removed. These unelected so called lords still claim a tax free Ā£300 per day plus all their canteen subsidies.
    Why has the Conservative party desetred it’s people and become a socialist party. Nothing to vote for in my local elections, apart from Lib/Lab/Con/Green/English Democrat. ED it is then, but the sheep will still vote the Labourites back in. I look at Hungary and Poland with envy.

  56. Terms of Summary
    April 26, 2019

    Polls of people tell what a number of people are willing to tell or can tell formally, in earshot of family, neighbours, and unknown eyes of Poll individuals, being questions and answers complete with their names, addresses and checkable histories.

    For 8 hours per day, people sleep a third of their life. No-one but no-one even the person asleep knows what his brain thinks, how it wishes to present rather than tell the truth for the public presentation of his mind for others and even to his conscious mind. He may be consciously upset if he were to know his own inner thoughts.

    All Elections, polls, lack essential opinion. Even that two thirds of clean information of just one moment in time. This moment I wish a beer. A moment ago I didn’t. In a moment I may prefer a coffee.
    However, 23rd June 2016 was set.

  57. Martin
    April 26, 2019

    The BBC never point out that Scotland voted Remain and elected MPs who have voted remain. It a pity the BBC ignore the votes of the people of Scotland and its MPs.

    As for Northern Ireland, it also voted remain buts its MPs (in cahoots with the Conservatives) ignore the will of their voters too! Of course the BBC never mention that to that Ms. Foster.

    1. Fred H
      April 26, 2019

      Martin ..What ! Do you ever put your tv on to BBC ? I’ve seen Sturgeon over and over again going on and on about ‘We voted Remain in Scotland’ and Mr Blackford, SNP repeating the same mantra.

    2. DaveM
      April 26, 2019

      Scotland didnā€™t vote to Remain. In 2014 it voted to stay in the U.K., and the 2016 referendum was a U.K. wide vote.

    3. Fedupsoutherner
      April 26, 2019

      Oh do get real Martin. Where have you been when Sturgeon is spouting on about how Scotland voted to remain? She never shuts up and gets far too much TV air time for my liking. It was a UK vote and not a devolved to separate nations vote. What don’t people get about that? Scotland is NOT independent yet.

      1. Martin
        April 27, 2019

        Yes I do sometimes watch the BBC, I am fed up of their tricks when they put two unionists on against on SNP. Newnight last Thursday was typical.

        The MEP for SE England (Farage) is never off the BBC when I put it on so guess what its time to head for the off button.

        Don’t forget that Nicola Sturgeon gets a higher share of the vote than Mrs May or Mr Corbyn – what part of “real” don’t you understand?

        1. Edward2
          April 27, 2019

          Real like where a recent poll in Scotland shows 69% of voters against a second referendum on independence.
          That part of real Martin.

    4. rose
      April 27, 2019

      The majority of Unionists in Ulster voted to Leave. The BBC have never mentioned this.

  58. Ian
    April 26, 2019

    Will no one rid us of this Parliament.

    So much for Democricy, Teflon May just sales on somehow knowing full well that she is bulletproof.
    So powerful is The Establishment, both inside and outside of both Houses, that she cares not a jot for her lies, she has the temerity to put in front of Parliament and the Country, her WA Treaty, which Farage saw as only someone who had lost a War , would sign out of desperation.

    Now all the ERG men and other Brexiters in Parliament not to mention the 1922 club.
    We are supposed to just except that you are all neutered.
    Worse is the fact that even the likes of Jacob Ress Mogg, And I believe that Boris were two that signed her W A

    It is no wonder that most of the people in this Nation are gutted by just what we see and hear, this indeed from The Mother of all Parliaments.

    This has clearly been going on for decades. Certainly from Heath onwards.

    With the only exception of our only Hero in the last 60+years Mrs Thatcher.

    Now there was a man, had more guts than any of them.

    Well they got rid of that decent capable PM.

    Oh no The Establishment was not going to tolerate a loose cannon, they got rid of her.

    A travesty.
    If the appetite is there , the power is there.

    We are to believe that this PM is unmovable ?

    The only thing Thatcher did wrong , was bang a few noses in the EU, and sadly drilled a hole in the English channel in my view.

    I am sorry but it is looking like all those MPs that have been in Parliament for many decades, are all guilty of ignoring just what has been going on in our names.

    It has take 25 years for a Member of The Public to expose this treacherous behaviour by one and all.

    What a tragedy What. A. Tragedy,

    I so hope to God that you all get wiped out in the EU election.

    I and my fellow voters are disgusted.

    Surely no one can seriously vote for anyone else but the Brexit Party

  59. Helen Smith
    April 26, 2019

    Iā€™ve noticed barely concealed anger in your posts of late Sir John, clearly you are on the same page as the bulk of Tory members and voters. If you canā€™t get rid of her join the Brexit party, I truly believe the Tories are past saving now, things have changed.

    1. DaveM
      April 26, 2019

      Plus 1. šŸ‘

    2. Fred H
      April 26, 2019

      Helen…It will be fascinating to see how the next GE unfolds. I hope it will come sooner rather than later. The marginals will be a subject for the pollsters to focus on. The 2017 GE had a near record turnout – 68.7 % of electorate numbered 46.8m. Official stats show 97 MPs were elected with less than 5% majority, and approx 70 more were won with between 5% and 10% majority. Swings of those percentages are easily within reach given the present tide of frustrated voters.

    3. Caterpillar
      April 26, 2019

      Helen Smith,

      I hope this doesn’t happen. If current MPs who are part of the HoC that has failed to deliver on the democratic referendum result (even if a few specific individuals from both benches have genuinely tried) joined the Brexit party I could only see that tarnishing its image. Imagine how the media, such as the BBC, would interview and represent these MPs.

  60. oneminutemoneymag...
    April 26, 2019

    With very very few exceptions, if the “people’s vote” campaign got their way, they would even disallow us eurosceptics from voting to just leave. Why doesn’t the BBC challenge them on this blatently undemocratic stance?

  61. Simon Coleman
    April 26, 2019

    So 82% effectively voted for Brexit? An increase of 30% on the referendum result. Extraordinary! How do you explain that?

    1. Edward2
      April 26, 2019

      Both Labour and Conservatives had manifestos promising to respect the result of the referendum and leave the EU
      Parties such as Greens and Lib Dems were available for remain fans but they did badly.

  62. Alex Ferris
    April 27, 2019

    The longer the cabinet remains without resigning the less likely any one of them will be acceptable as the next PM. May could not govern without a cabinet so surely it’s high time they resigned en mass to force either May to resign or allow a general election. Our country has been rendered a laughing stock around the world. It’s time to put personal careers and party unity aside for the sake of democracy in our country. If the present cabinet won’t do it, then the Brexit party will, consigning the main two political parties to fight amongst themselves unto oblivion.

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