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In Leave constituencies across the country, there is an overwhelming sense that people want MPs, their representatives, to ‘get on with it’: to stop messing about & make our exit from the EU as soon as possible. After over two & a half years, that’s understandable. [thread] 1/10
It sounds so simple, but the truth is, the process of leaving isn’t. To understand why, we have to go back to the referendum of June 2016. On the ballot paper were two very simple options: to Leave or Remain in the EU. People voted by 52% to 48% to leave. That much is clear. 2/10
What that very simple choice didn’t account for, is how we leave the EU. PM David Cameron called the referendum to settle internal disputes in the Tory Party & to avert the threat of UKIP. He arrogantly thought Remain would walk it & didn’t cater for the world post-Brexit. 3/10
Why should that matter? Well, because the way we leave has a massive impact on our trade with other countries. Being able to trade easily with the EU after leaving means so much to our economy, in terms of jobs, prices & just about every aspect of our lives. 4/10
Imagine leaving the EU as a divorce: there’s a need to end the relationship, but there’s still negotiation & mediation to be done to work out the future relationship. In the simplest terms, who will have the kids, and when? To leave without an agreement would be disastrous. 5/10
Although there’s a lot of talk about betrayal & MPs not respecting the vote, actually securing that deal has nothing to do with whether we are leaving the EU or not, it’s about ensuring that we’ll survive in the years after our exit & not locked in to damaging trade terms. 6/10
So, that’s why Labour keeps talking about a permanent, secure customs arrangement. That is what will make sure we can continue to trade & aren’t hit with a big economic shock. Most businesses in the UK understand this, because they know the damage a no deal Brexit would do. 7/10
Labour’s new customs union, as well as single market access, isn’t frustrating Brexit, it’s ensuring that industry & manufacturing is able to stay in the UK, providing jobs above all. We can talk the talk about new trade deals with non-EU counties, but they’d take decades. 8/10
Many Tory MPs have a pathological hatred of the EU & are equally enthused by the race to the bottom on workers’ rights that Brexit might bring. So, they are prepared to sacrifice our economic health & jobs to leave without a deal. Of course, it won’t affect them personally. 9/10
It is possible to respect the vote to Leave, but do everything in our power to stop a damaging ‘no deal’ Brexit. That’s Labour’s focus right now & I think that’s right. Because, irrespective of how people voted in 2016, would anyone seriously have voted to lose their job? 10/10
