Thread by @RoyMotteram

Like many, I signed a petition calling for a referendum on Mrs May's proposed Brexit, & today I received the response from the govt.
For those that didn't sign up to this particular petition, I reproduce it here, with my response
My MP, @JHowellUK probably hasn't seen it
1/14

The response came from the Department for Exiting the European Union.

It starts by insisting that the govt will "respect the result of the 2016 ref"
This is such a key point that they say it twice, using "clear" on both occasions to emphasise it.
2/14

But look at that 3rd paragraph.
Apparently the 2016 ref gave a very clear instruction to the govt.
If it was so clear, why is there so much discord amongst Leave voters? Not one of those I met outside Parliament on 29/01 were happy
3/14

And that "highest number of votes cast ..." claim?
1975 - 17,378,581 voted remain
2016 - 17,410,742 voted leave
So literally true, but ignores the fact that the electorate grew by 16%. Turn those numbers into %ages:
1975 - 43.4%
2016 - 37.4%
4/14

The next paragraph continues to twist the truth.
Parliament deciding to turn its back on its duty to oversee the action of the govt is not endorsement of the govt's approach, it's an indictment of our elected representatives.
5/14

The GE in 2017, far from endorsing the govt approach, did precisely the opposite by removing the govt majority.
The fact that this didn't prompt reflection & the search for concensus is an indictment of our govt's senior politicians
6/14

And that final sentence in para 4? What "will" was expressed by voters in the referendum? It's precisely this lack of clarity that prompted me to ask for a referendum on the govt's proposal
7/14

Apparently we must be able to trust our govt, & the govt believes that the best way to do this is to enact a withdrawal agreement that has neither popular support nor parliamentary support & which they (the govt) know will leave the country worse off in all respects
8/14

That's not the way that the govt will gain my trust. In fact, the sight of so many of our MPs voting for things that they know are not in the nation's best interest does major damage to my trust in representative democracy
9/14

The final paragraph re-iterates that the govt intends to deliver what it thinks it was instructed to deliver & for which it thinks it has a mandate.
If the instruction was so clear, why is there not universal support from Leave voters?
Why did the govt lose its maj in 2017?
10/14

If the govt is so keen to get a smooth & orderly exit from the EU, why did it instruct MPs to vote against all those amendments intended to avoid a #CrashOutBrexit
Why are they attempting to renege on the negotiated safety net of the Backstop?
11/14

And why are they ignoring their own assessments that any Brexit will leave us all worse off? The only outcome that "betters the lives of British people" is to Remain.
12/14

By all means, if the majority want us out of the EU despite the costs (& I don't just mean £'s), then take us out, but don't pretend we'll be better off. If you do that, you're lying to us, & we've had enough of that.
13/14

So, if the govt wants to heal the divisions, they must start telling the truth.
Make it crystal clear exactly what the impact of leaving the EU with the current proposal or with No Deal will be.
Give us the truth, & then ask us again - "is this what you wanted?"
/ends