Political View by Nina Stimson - Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Southend West
by
THE old Chinese saying "may you live in interesting times" could have been written for now.
Whether you really, really want Brexit, even without a deal, or (like me) would much prefer to remain, the drama of the past few weeks has exceeded anyone’s imagination. And writing this column several days before publication is fraught with danger – the situation may have changed completely by the time you read it.
The 2016 Referendum split many families and friends apart. There are similar divisions now, about how we leave the EU (or if we leave at all). But from conversations with local people, it’s clear that quite a few opinions have changed.
Extravagant promises made in 2016 to encourage Leave votes have fallen away. Many of you have told me you are increasingly concerned about the implications of leaving without a deal, even if it opens up the prospect of a trade deal with President Trump. That could see US chlorinated chicken on our supermarket shelves and US healthcare corporations trying to grab a share of our NHS. Thanks but no, thanks.
The future of our country is at stake, but after our new Prime Minister took up office with his "do or die" attitude to leaving the EU on October 31, come what may, Boris Johnson has managed to lose the Conservatives’ very slim majority in the House of Commons, after MPs left to join the Liberal Democrats or sit as independents.
Boris has lost every single vote in Parliament. He has sacked 21 of his own Conservative MPs for daring to disagree with him – even his own brother has resigned from the Government and decided to leave Parliament for good. Winston Churchill’s grandson, Sir Nicholas Soames, was thrown out after 37 years.
Now Mr Johnson and his advisors have shut down ("prorogued") Parliament for five weeks! That will certainly stop the heated arguments and prevent any more lost votes, but it leaves almost no time to discuss any negotiations with the EU before the deadline. That hotbed of revolution, the Financial Times, called the action "constitutional cheating"; Scottish judges said it was unlawful.
But what about all of us? Millions of people across the UK are trying to make their voices heard by signing petitions, by joining protests in Westminster and around the country, and by spreading the word. We’re trying to make change happen, not just shouting at the TV.
We must be doing something right. In the past 3 months my party, the Liberal Democrats, has gained 6 MPs and our membership has increased by 30,000. New LibDem MPs include Chuka Umunna, Sarah Wollaston, Luciana Berger (who left Labour over Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to stop anti-semitism), Philip Lee and Angela Smith, plus Jane Dodd, who won the Brecon & Radnor by-election.
Liberal Democrats are doing well in Southend too.
We polled more votes in the European Election than the Conservatives, Labour or the Green Party. Three new LibDem Councillors were elected in the May elections and the LibDem group led by Coun Carole Mulroney is a key part of the joint administration. New members are joining week by week.
A General Election is inevitable (although obviously not in the middle of key "Brexit" negotiations). Whether we Leave or Remain, one way or another ‘you’ deserve the final say.
Let’s make it happen.
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