A number of people have been asking Labour Councillors locally for our views on the current situation on Brexit. Below is the, text of a letter sent to the Reading Chronicle today. I have signed it , both as a councillor who believes that the residents I represent deserve a final say and as the person who hopes to become our next MP who is in despair at the current dangerous nonsense from the government. My belief is that , unless there is an imminent general election, the least damaging way through this can only be through a public vote on the deal.
We support a public vote on the final Brexit deal but we would like to hear the views of residents
With the country facing one of the most significant crises in a generation, we, the undersigned would like to state our support for a vote on the final Brexit deal and call on the Reading East and West Members of Parliament to let voters have their say.
Three years ago the country voted on whether to remain or leave the European Union.
Since then a number of different issues have emerged:
- The Government’s inability to put a workable deal through parliament
- A lack of resolution to the Northern Ireland border issue
- The National Crime Agency investigation of the Leave EU campaign
- Concern about the status of EU workers currently in the UK and international companies
- The real risk of a no deal Brexit
With little over 60 days to go and Theresa May refusing to call a General Election, we feel it is necessary to call for a referendum.
We think it is crucial at this time to hear from local residents about their views and ask that you write to your MPs about a second vote.
In Reading, almost 75,000 people voted with 58 per cent of coming out for remain. One in ten people living in the area come from the EU.
In 2016, people voted with very little information about what Brexit would look like. On 15 January, the Government was defeated on their deal by 230 votes.
Now, with the risk of a damaging no deal Brexit becoming a swift reality and parliament unable to lead effectively, it is time to give ownership of this final decision to accept the failed deal or to remain within the European Union to the people.
This is our view but we recognise countless other perspectives on this issue.
We would be grateful to hear from residents in response to this letter and encourage you also to write to your local MPs about this issue.
We call on Reading MPs to listen to their residents.
Signed,
Cllr Sophia James, Cllr Jo Lovelock, Cllr Tony Page, Cllr Rachel Eden, Cllr Paul Gittings, Cllr Richard Davies, Cllr Graeme Hoskin, Cllr Karen Rowland, Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Cllr Gurvinder Kaur, Cllr Emmett McKenna, Cllr Kelly Edwards, Cllr Mohammed Ayub and Former Reading West MP Martin Salter
I have written to my MP, and I am happy to say the same here. Now we know the damage that Brexit will do, and we know that none of the promised benefits from the 2016 referendum will materialise, I believe the only sane way forward is to have another referendum with an option to remain in the EU on the ballot.
I write to Mr Sharma MP every week. Which is the least I can do to encourage him to represent his Remain constituents rather than his Brexit party.
Unfortunately Brexit is not being opposed by Labour. Labour have played a very poor hand in aiming to get an election rather than a second referendum on the deal. Therefore it’s as much a Labour Brexit as it is a Tory Brexit. It’s very simple. May has a deal. It won’t pass. Put the deal to the people along with Remain. But get on with it! The vagueness of the Party is going to mean it will lose a massive number of votes from remainers . A letter is great but unless JC pulls his finger out the Party offers the same as the Tories.