Sunderland Echo

Conservati­ves are only choice to deliver Brexit - Mark Francois

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Member of Parliament.”

Not everyone was pleased to see Mr Francois on Wearside, and he was heckled by one man while outside the centre.

He played down fears that leaving the EU without a deal would mean the UK faced years of trying to negotiate a new relationsh­ip, saying: “One of the major changes between Boris’ deal and Theresa May’s earlier variant, is that they have changed what is called the political declaratio­n, which are the guidelines for negotiatin­g the new deal, to state the desired end state is a comprehens­ive free trade agreement, which is what many Euroscepti­cs have wanted for donkey’s years.”

And he also dismissed fears that leaving the EU would threaten the future of Sunderland’s Nissan plant: “The thing that is very important is that both sides have already agreed the desired end state so we don’t need to waste time haggling over that, and what we would probably look for is something along the lines of the EU/Canadian agreement of 2016, with some add-ons and variations.”

Mr Howarth said internatio­nal trade was second nature to Nissan: “Japanese car companies in Japan deal across national borders, they import components from around East Asia. the plant here imports components from Japan. Dealing across national boundaries is something they do already. There is no threat to the Nissan plant in Washington.

“We turn the EU/Japan agreement into the UK/Japan agreement, as they have already indicated they wish to.”

“In 2016, in the iconic referendum result, the people of Sunderland voted overwhelmi­ngly to leave the European Union, yet the three local MPS, now Labour candidates, voted on numerous occasions in the House of Commons to frustrate and block Brexit.

“Traditiona­l loyalties to the Labour Party are breaking down and people are now reconsider­ing who they might vote for in future elections.

“Boris Johnson understood the mandate that was given to him by places such as Sunderland and it is a Conservati­ve government that is best for jobs, for investment and for improving people’s standards of living.”

Mr Francois said the Government’s own booklet, sent to evferty UK household ahead of the Refereundu­m had desibed it as 'a once in a generation decision’ and promised ‘This is your decision. The Government will implement what you decide.’

“The only way we are going to leave the EU and honour the Referendum is if people vote for Christophe­r and other Conservati­ve candidates so that we can get Brexit done,” he said.

“This was a promise made to the British people and it has to be honoured.”

 ??  ?? Mark Francois and Chris Howarth at the National Glass Centre
Mark Francois and Chris Howarth at the National Glass Centre
 ??  ?? Chris Howarth shows Mark Francois some of the products from his family’s factory on display at the National Glass Centre
Chris Howarth shows Mark Francois some of the products from his family’s factory on display at the National Glass Centre
 ??  ?? Chris Howarth (left) and Mark Francois with the Government’s Referendum leaflet
Chris Howarth (left) and Mark Francois with the Government’s Referendum leaflet

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