Over the last few weeks we have seen an ever changing picture move at an ever growing speed. It may be that by the time you read this, the situation in the House of Commons may have changed entirely. However, as I write we voted last Friday the 29th of March on the Withdrawal Agreement and on Monday the 1st of April on a set of 4 indicative votes.
Last week, I had to make a tough choice between supporting the Prime Minister’s less than perfect deal or voting against it and risk either an even worse agreement being proposed at a later date or Britain not leaving the European Union at all.
I have numerous problems with the Withdrawal Agreement, particularly over the Northern Irish Backstop – my reason for voting against the Agreement twice before. Yet, over the last few weeks in particular, it has become clear that this Remain-majority parliament is looking for an opportunity to water down the Brexit agreement or even prevent us leaving the EU entirely.
There is now a real risk that we are forced to endure an extension of Article 50 for a year, or perhaps longer, there would likely be a committed effort to push for a Second Referendum in an attempt to overturn the 2016 Referendum. I do not believe that it is right to ask the British public to vote in a second referendum. It would make the whole system farcical as whatever the outcome further referendums could be called for to overturn the second referendums result. I recognise that there are many that have written to me in my constituency who support a second referendum, however those that write to me with this point should know I have also received a vast number of letters from those who either want Britain to leave under WTO terms or the Withdrawal Agreement.
Whilst I believe that many of the fears surrounding a WTO Brexit are wildly overstated and inaccurate, Parliament with its current composition of MPs will simply not allow a no-deal Brexit to happen. On Wednesday the 3rd of April a Bill was voted through Parliament which, if passed by the House of Lords, prevents no deal on the 12th of April, I voted against this but it still went through.
Regarding the recent indicative votes, I voted against any motion that supported either a Second Referendum, revoking Article 50, membership of the single market and membership of the Customs Union.
In conclusion, whilst the Withdrawal Agreement is certainly not a perfect deal, it is likely the only chance we have to actually achieve Brexit.