‘No-deal Brexit big threat to town’ – MP
TONY Lloyd has warned that a Nodeal Brexit would be the “biggest threat to people in Rochdale” and criticised the Prime Minister.
The Rochdale Labour MP said Boris Johnson’s decision to prorogue Parliament, which some have claimed is to facilitate a No-deal Brexit, is a “dangerous step”.
Mr Lloyd said Rochdale, and others towns like it, would suffer because of how reliant they are on exports. He has called on politicians of all parties to unite against Mr Johnson.
The Prime Minister has argued that closing of government would be to get ready to introduce new legislation on education, crime and healthcare.
Tony Lloyd said: “Nodeal Brexit is the biggest threat to people in Rochdale. The warnings are
there in leaked Government documents which state that we face everything from food shortages, shortages of medicines and queues of lorries at our vital national ports preventing the flow of goods. And of course, this would jeopardise towns like Rochdale’s export industry and jobs.
“Parliament has made it clear that there is no majority for that No-deal Brexit.
“On that back of that, it is astonishing that amongst Boris Johnson’s first moves as Prime Minister has been to smash the constitutional settlement that has made our Parliamentary democracy the most admired around the world.”
After the Queen approved Mr Johnson’s request to shut down Parliament from mid-September until October 14, MPs opposed to No-deal will be left with a fortnight to act before October 31.
Rochdale voted 60 per cent Leave to 40 per cent Remain in the 2016 vote.
But Mr Lloyd added: “Even the independent Speaker, John Bercow, has described this as a constitutional outrage, and he’s right. Wherever you stand on Brexit, this is such a dangerous step and we could be regretting this for generations to come.
“It’s now time for MPs of all parties to put country before party.”
●●WHAT do you think? Write to our Letters page.