Top Tory tells MPs ‘use new freedom’
JACOB Rees-Mogg wants MPs to wake up to Westminster’s restored powers following the UK’s exit from the EU.
In a passionate appeal ahead of tomorrow’s State Opening of Parliament, the Commons Leader says too many MPs have failed to recognise that they have taken back control of law-making from Brussels.
TheTory urges them to stop treating Parliament as a talking shop and instead focus on measures to improve Britain.
Mr Rees-Mogg delivers his plea in his regularWhy Parliament Works podcast to be released this week.
The Cabinet minister says MPs have “spent too much time on general debates and too little time on legislation”. He said in an interview with the leading Eurosceptic Tory peer Lord Hannan: “Now all those powers have returned from Brussels, MPs can and should be much more responsive to their constituents.We can do a vast array of individually minor things that we couldn’t do because they were decided by the European Union, on top of the big political issues, the borders, the trade, that are now our competence exclusively.
“What a change from beforehand, when MPs would just shrug their shoulders.”
Mr Rees-Mogg recalled having to tell his constituents that the Government was unable to change unpopular rules imposed by Brussels.
He added: “I can no longer hide behind the European Union.We are beginning to use the new freedoms. It is so exciting.”
He also says Britons should be proud about the way Westminster can respond to their views in a way that Brussels could not.
Mr Rees-Mogg said: “Happily there are signs that Parliament is getting better at its job of scrutiny – people recognise that they can stop something, vote it down.”