More from my MP Anne Milton including "The deal offers a clear way forward in our relationship with the EU as our leaving date in March moves closer. I took a pragmatic decision to make sure that our exit from the EU was as orderly as possible." What's wrong with a pragmatic approach to work flat out for the UK to remain within the EU?
Her full text, if you can bear to read it:-
16 January 2019
Withdrawal Agreement Vote
I thought it would be helpful to update you following the vote on the draft Withdrawal Agreement yesterday.
As you may be aware, I voted to support the draft Agreement. The results were:
• 202 votes for
• 432 votes against
Although the draft Withdrawal Agreement is by no means perfect, I feel as strongly as I have always done that it is important to honour the result of the referendum. In my view the Agreement would do that.
When I voted to trigger Article 50 I emailed a number of you and said that ‘the Government’s job is now to negotiate the best deal possible for the UK’. Two years later, the Government presented its Withdrawal Agreement to the House of Commons, backed by EU leaders and heads of the other 27 EU countries. This was the outcome of two years of negotiations, hard-work and compromise by both the UK Government and their European counterparts.
The deal offers a clear way forward in our relationship with the EU as our leaving date in March moves closer. I took a pragmatic decision to make sure that our exit from the EU was as orderly as possible. I know that the Agreement did not satisfy all of the different concerns both here in Parliament and of the public, but I believed that it was the best option for minimal disruption to our citizens, services and businesses in Guildford and around the country.
Today we now face a vote of confidence in the Government as we expected, and that debate is ongoing as I write this email. There seems to be a belief from some that it is possible to negotiate a much-improved deal. It might be possible to gain small changes but I do not believe that the EU is likely to agree to any substantive changes. However, we need to be clear what would be needed in the way of changes, in order to command a majority in the House. We have heard much about what people don’t want but much less about what MPs do want that is also achievable from the EU.
I still feel very strongly that Parliament and MPs have a duty to try and find consensus. I have had, and still have, grave concerns about a 2nd referendum. My concerns grow and do not diminish. I also remain convinced that leaving on WTO rules will result in an economic downturn and I am unwilling to risk the subsequent social consequences that would ensue.
Parliament faces an extraordinarily difficult time. Our arrangements and institutions with the EU have grown together over the past 45 years and I always knew separation would be slow and difficult to achieve in order to avoid economic damage to both sides.
The Prime Minister will return on Monday to present the Government’s next steps to Parliament. You can follow the debate live at: https://parliamentlive.tv/Commons. You can also see what was discussed in the five days of debate on the Withdrawal Agreement at: https://hansard.parliament.uk/. I would urge you to read or watch some of the debates as many of the speeches were extremely thoughtful.
As ever, I will continue to keep you up to date as best I can but in the meantime my thanks once again for contacting me. I have read and will continue to read and appreciate all the emails, phone calls and letters that I have received and they have been invaluable in the run-up to the vote.
My best wishes,
Anne.
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