Rejecting Brexit could ‘spark civil unrest’ and see people taking to the streets says Labour MP, in warning to colleagues not block Article 50 bill
Matthew Pennycook says to stand in the way of the legislation could lead to a snap general election and fuel the far-right
VOTING against Brexit could “spark civil unrest” and lead to people taking to the streets, according to a Labour shadow minister.
Matthew Pennycook made the stark warning to his MP colleagues as the debate on the Article 50 legislation hot underway in the House of Commons.
A raft of Labour MPs have declared they will defy their leader Jeremy Corbyn’s edict to vote for the Brexit bill, but the MP for Greenwich and Woolwich says voting it down “would exacerbate the divisions that the referendum has exposed”.
He told the BBC: “It would be a gift to the far right. It might even cause civil disturbances in parts of the country.
“People would take to the streets - the millions who voted to remain – I think that is a danger."
He echoed the comments made by the Brexit Secretary David Davis, who said pro-EU MPs risk abusing the trust of the British electorate if they try and frustrate the process.
Attacking those who want to derail the Government’s tight schedule for triggering divorce talks with Brussels, he said: “It’s not a bill about whether or not the UK should leave the EU, or how it should do so.
“It’s simply about implementing a decision already made, a point of no return already passed. We asked the people of the UK if they wanted to leave the EU; they decided they did.”
Mr Pennycook also said to block the passage of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal Bill) would cause a snap General Election, which would be fought solely on the issue of Brexit.
“As such, I respectfully disagree with those who maintain that, whatever the potential negative social and political implications, MPs should seek to overturn the result.”