MPs must not betray Britain today by setting aside their politics and backing Theresa May’s Brexit deal
The Labour frontbench has no interest in being constructive on Brexit, no matter what’s best for the country as their sole interest is crashing the Government
Don’t betray UK
MPs of all stripes must set aside their politics today — and vote, in the national interest, for the Withdrawal Agreement.
This is not about our future relationship with Europe and the world. Nor should it be about manoeuvring in the detached Westminster bubble.
It is instead, on the day that we were SUPPOSED to be leaving the European Union, the last chance to preserve whatever shred of faith is left in our Parliamentary democracy.
It is increasingly clear that the Prime Minister will need Labour votes to ensure that Westminster honours the Referendum result.
The Labour frontbench has no interest in being constructive on Brexit, no matter what’s best for the country. Their sole interest is crashing the Government.
But for Labour backbenchers — many of whom are decent, honest politicians — we have one question:
Do you side with the North London dinner party set surrounding Jeremy Corbyn, a leader you know in your heart of hearts isn’t fit to lead this country, or with your voters and the communities you represent?
In their millions, they said they wanted out. They must be listened to.
Westminster still doesn’t seem to have clocked there is so much at stake on what was meant to be a momentous day.
The leaflet sent to every home in 2016 could not have been clearer.
“This is your decision. The Government will implement what you decide.”
And the two-year-old Article 50 letter promised to deliver “the democratic decision of the people of the UK”.
DON'T BETRAY BRITAIN
We should be leaving this evening, at 11pm. That we are not is the result of a collective failure of our MPs.
It is a failure that, if repeated, will never be forgiven.
This isn’t about politics or party advantage any more.
It is about the very foundations of our country.
There are many battles to come about Britain’s future — about a customs union, a single market, and everything else under the sun.
Voting for today’s motion doesn’t rule out any one of those options, and indeed is required for many of them anyway.
But it DOES deliver on 17.4 million votes.
Those Tories who are still making the perfect the enemy of the good must also wake up and smell the coffee.
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A failure to get the deal across the line today could be the death knell of the Tory party as we know it and open the door to the most dangerous Government Britain has ever seen — and a soft Brexit or none at all.
Unless they change course today, the ERG refuseniks will take their fair share of the blame when the history books are written.
Westminster must finally rise to the occasion.
