Brexit and my MP - Part 30 - She's Gone Native!

I received the email below from my MP a few days ago. She voted remain. She represents a constituency that voted remain. And now she appears to have gone rabidly native. When my blood cools I shall be composing a reply.

"I have always said that I will....take all views into consideration...". My ****!

By Email 20/6/2018

Dear Richard

Thank you for contacting me about the Lords' amendments to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, which returned to the Commons on 12 June.

The Withdrawal Bill is about making sure the United Kingdom has a functioning statute book on the day we leave. It is not about deciding on policy issues. I think people, whether they voted leave or remain, expect the Government to provide continuity and certainty as we leave the EU, and that is what this Bill will do.

We have so far had over 250 hours of debate in both Houses and reviewed over 1,000 non-Government amendments and hundreds of Government amendments. The Government has listened very carefully to those who have scrutinised and improved this legislation, and a significant number of amendments have been made to address the fair concerns which have been raised.

I would encourage you to read the debate from last Tuesday, which is available via this link: https://tinyurl.com/yaptxxtm

The amendments tabled which would involve the UK re-joining the European Economic Area (EEA) after we leave would also involve continuing the free movement of people. In my view, this would be a retrograde step as we would have to comply with EU rules without being part of the debate and negotiations on those rules.

Similarly, amendments which would require the UK to stay in a customs union are not compatible with the opportunity to build deeper links with allies across the globe. Nor are they compatible with the manifesto on which the Government was elected last year. We want to make sure that our new customs arrangements with the EU can allow for trade which is as frictionless as possible, while ensuring we can tap into fast growing markets elsewhere. We do not want a hard border with Northern Ireland and the negotiations for how we deal with this are ongoing.

One of the most important issues which was raised by the Lords is the process by which the outcome of the negotiations will be considered by Parliament. It would be impossible for negotiators to have the flexibility necessary for an effective negotiation if they are stripped of their authority to make decisions. This is not the right way to make sure we have a good deal for the UK.

It is important that we both allow sufficient opportunity for Parliament to vote on the final deal but not bind the hands or reduce the negotiating power of the Government. It's a fine line but we must not send the Government to negotiate with one hand behind its back.

I am quite certain that Parliament will have the opportunity to demonstrate its view on the final deal, hold the Government to account and vote according to what we all, as individual MPs, feel is in the best interests of the country.

Since the referendum, there has been a general election in which both of the major parties committed to respect and deliver the result of the referendum. Just to reiterate, every Member of Parliament will have a say on the final deal and be able to vote for it if they feel it is the right deal for the country or against it if they do not. The job of all MPs is to vote balancing their own views with the best interests of their constituents and the best interests of their country.

Finally, I am attaching the opening of Hilary Benn's speech which he made on the debate to trigger Article 50. Hilary Benn's words are more eloquent than I could ever muster, in describing why we need to respect the result of the referendum.

I have always said that I will listen to constituents on both sides of the debate and take all views into consideration, and I will continue to do so.

My best wishes,
Anne.

The Rt Hon Anne Milton MP

Member of Parliament for Guildford

Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills

 

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

T. 0207 219 8392

anne.milton.mp@parliament.uk

www.annemilton.com

Utterly Thoughtless Parking

Words fail me!

Brexit and My MP - Part 29 - A Meaningful Vote

Dear Mrs Milton

Last week it was reported that an agreement had been reached whereby Parliament would have a meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal. Within 48 hours it appears that the Prime Minister had reneged on that deal. As you will know, the relevant amendment, originally put forward by Dominic Grieve MP, will make its way back to the House of Commons next Wednesday. I urge you to “take back control” by backing this amendment and placing decision making where it should be, with Parliament.

Yours sincerely

Richard Bawden

Brexit and My MP - Part 28

Dear Ms Milton

The EU Withdrawal Bill returns to the Commons shortly and Tom Brake has tabled an amendment - 19a - that would guarantee giving the British people the final say on the Brexit deal. Given that the June 2016 referendum was held in an atmosphere of almost total ignorance of the consequences of Brexit it seems to me to be only right that the British people should have the opportunity to decide upon the UK’s fate with a much better understanding of the likely impacts.

I therefore urge you to support the amendment - and to ask your party colleagues to do the same.

I look forward to receiving confirmation that this is the approach you will take.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Brexit (sort of) and My MP - Part 27 - Tier 2 Visas and the NHS

Not strictly about Brexit but it's part of the fallout:-

Dear Ms Milton

I have been following the recent exchanges about NHS staffing and restrictions arising from the operation of the Tier 2 visa system with increasing dismay. The evidence I have seen strongly points to NHS bodies being unable to recruit sufficient doctors because of these restrictions. Indeed, a good friend and neighbour has fallen foul of this problem having had a procedure twice delayed because suitably qualified staff were not available.

It seems to me to be utter nonsense to prevent the NHS from being fully staffed because of a seemingly arbitrary general cap on non-EU immigration. I therefore wish to add my voice to those who are calling for NHS staff to be totally exempt from the Tier 2 system; and I urge you to support such a move.

Yours sincerely

Carbon Bubble => Financial Crisis?

This article from Edie posits the notion that technology and economics, not legislation, are now driving investment in low carbon energy production and that fossil fuel companies are sitting on a large inventory of essentially stranded assets. It suggests that the proverbial will hit the fan at some point potentially triggering a financial crisis. However, it also suggests that more political intervention is required if we are to keep within Paris agreement limits.

There have been good ethical reasons for a long time for examining one's investment portfolio but perhaps now is the time to do so again.

Playing Games with Cancer

There's a fascinating paper been published in Nature Communications suggesting that a game theoretical approach to treating prostate cancer by aiming to keep it at bay rather than eradicating it can lead to significantly enhanced survival times. The key is to keep medication doses below the threshold where the cancer is likely to become stronger and more resistant. Although the paper doesn't mention it, I wonder if there's mileage in combining this approach with multi-drug testing of cloned cancer cells - a kind of personalised therapy.

By-the-by there's also news in the Journal of Infectious Diseases that Australia is well on the way to the near eradication of cervical cancer through its programme of school-based vaccination against the human papillomavirus. Exciting stuff!