I have received many emails and letters with regards to Brexit.
I hope you can appreciate that the nature of the issue and the breadth and variety of views on matters ranging from an early General Election, to prorogation, to no deal planning means I have received hundreds of emails from constituents and I am not always able to provide an in-depth and specific response as I would normally like, especially given my need to also balance out other constituency duties and casework.
Nevertheless, I do appreciate you contacting me and can assure you I do take note of all opinions that I receive in correspondence, though it would be fair to say opinion continues to be divided in my constituency and for every person who contacts me expressing a vehement view one way there is another expressing the complete opposite.
I also do provide regular updates on Brexit developments on my website, www.nigelhuddleston.com, as well as responses to generic email campaigns from bodies such as 38 degrees. Additionally, I endeavour to provide updates on my other social media accounts including Twitter and Facebook if you wish to follow me on those platforms.
Nevertheless, I hope this email conveys my latest thoughts on recent developments and answers your queries in a satisfactory manner.
With respect to comments about the recent court rulings regarding the prorogation of Parliament, it is important to remember that the judiciary is completely impartial of political interference, and ultimately it is for the Supreme Court to make a final ruling after the Scottish Court and the High Court for England and Wales presented two separate ruling. The Supreme Court is due to review the decisions this week and both I and the Government will abide by the decision it makes. I have commented previously on the prorogation decision and more details comments can be found at https://www.nigelhuddleston.com/news/statement-ending-current-parliamen…. I also make further comments, below, on prorogation.
Turning to calls for an early General Election, I twice supported the motion which would have allowed for an election in order to break the current Parliamentary deadlock. Parliament has become accustomed to voting against things, inhibiting us from moving forward. We need to break the stalemate and an election can do this. I have also said in previous statements that the Brexit Bill tabled by the Opposition, which effectively forces the Prime Minister to accept an extension to Article 50 (the length of which is not entirely in our hands), not only weakens Boris Johnson’s negotiating hand but ultimately kicks the can down the road and prevents the Government from delivering on the referendum result of 2016.
The result of the 2016 referendum saw a majority of voters cast their ballot to leave, as did most of my constituents – almost 60%. I strongly believe that for the sake of democracy we need to leave the EU. As you may be aware, I voted and campaigned to remain. However, I said at the time I would respect and implement the result – whatever side won. I fully intend to honour that pledge.
From my walkabouts and meetings with residents, the majority tell me that they want Brexit sorted and want us politicians to turn our attention to what matters to them: fairer education funding, additional funding for the NHS and social care, and more police.
I also believe the Bill, which is now law, offers no constructive way of breaking the current deadlock aside from merely prolonging this issue. Yet when offered the chance to put the current Brexit impasse back to the people for them to decide, opposition parties abstained or voted against the motion.
Twice.
This is despite Jeremy Corbyn calling for an election dozens of times in the chamber.
We have also seen they have no credible plan to deliver the result nor a coherent position on Brexit: they would even vote against a deal they negotiated – which doesn’t give us much confidence about the kind of deal that would be brokered.
This brings me to the calls from some constituents, and indeed a number of Labour MPs, that Parliament is being ‘silenced’ from debating Brexit because it has now been prorogued (suspended). Prorogation is a procedure required before the government can present its plans for the future in a Queen’s Speech.
Far from being silenced on Brexit, MPs have had three years to discuss Brexit and more time has been given to this subject in Parliament than any other issue.
MPs will still have time to debate Brexit when Parliament is returns on 14 October.
The Queen’s Speech will set out a clear domestic agenda that focuses on the domestics issues my constituents care about: schools, the NHS, transport etc.
The Queen’s Speech will reflect these commitments and is long overdue. And, after all, this Parliamentary session was the longest in 350 years.
Labour have been calling for a new Queen’s Speech for months - and that’s exactly what the Government is doing. Whilst a return to bread and butter issues is very much needed, ultimately opposition MPs have had three years to present alternative proposals. It is simply partisan politics to suggest they are being silenced and that these few weeks, which coincides with conference season when the House of Commons would not have been sitting anyway, would be the time when the opposition would suddenly settle on a solution. You will have noted that the TUC didn’t cancel their conference last week, the Lib Dems didn’t cancel their conference this week - and I suspect the Labour party won’t cancel their conference next week.
Fundamentally I believe it is incredibly important that we deliver on the referendum result. I work for each and every Mid Worcestershire constituent, whether they voted to leave or to remain, and I believe the best way of delivering for every resident is to honour the 2016 result, which almost 60% of my constituents voted for, in order for us to devote our attention once more to the everyday issues which really matter to people.
Whilst we await the start of a fresh Parliamentary session, the work of government continues and I will personally be splitting my time between being in Westminster and in the constituency: visiting businesses, listening to your views and attending a range of events. If you see me out and about in Worcestershire, I encourage you to make yourself known to me and invite you to make further comment.
