Brexit’s coming
– but May shouldn’t expect it served up on a plate
for MPs. Surely their first job is to represent their constituents, making it particularly agonising for those in heavily pro- Remain parts of the country.
Do they voice their views? Or do they accept there was a vote and argue that’s that?
Add to the mix the responsibility in a democracy to ensure the rights of minorities – in this case a large one – are not simply walked over.
Moreover, Ken Clarke, the lone Conservative to revolt, quite rightly pointed out that not even “hot tongs” would have compelled the hardline Eurosceptics to concede had the result gone the other way.
Remember too that the 114 No voters weren’t all trying to halt Brexit full stop, but rather believed the UK Government was rushing into a hard Brexit and that such a momentous transition had to be properly scrutinised.
Of course, such nuances aren’t communicated via a vote tally and the perception outside Westminster is that these MPs – some of whom backed giving the people a say in the first place – are now trampling on their very decision.
Fundamentally, Brexit has to be d e l i v e re d . Bu t that doesn’t mean the May administration should have free rein over how it is shaped and implemented, or be unanswerable to legitimate concerns surrounding the planned departure from the single market, for example.
In that context the accelerated timetable for Brexit to ensure the Government meets its end-of-March deadline is worrying.
MPs will, however, have the chance to secure concessions at committee stage next week, with pages of amendments already tabled.
And, as Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer has been at pains to stress, the Withdrawal from the European Union ( Article 50) Bill – once passed – will merely authorise the Prime Minister to fire the starting gun on the negotiations.
For those hoping to soften the Government’s approach, perhaps the most significant coup would be to obtain a commitment to a meaningful parliamentary vote on the final deal.
That is to say one in advance of approval in the European Parliament, required for the settlement to be agreed.
Far from a fait accompli, MPs could then swing a giant wrecking ball at the arrangement, putting considerable political pressure on their MEP colleagues. PATIENTS were kept in hospital hundreds of nights after they were declared ready to leave due to a lack of social care.
A freedom of information probe by the Lib Dems found patients waited in hospital more than 500 days because there was no care in the community available.
The party’s health spokesman, Alex ColeHamilton MSP, said: “Under the SNP, 1000 beds were lost from Scotland’s hospitals during the same three years. Our NHS can ill afford delayed discharges on this extreme scale.” HIKES in business rates will see firms fold and jobs lost, a campaign group has warned.
Business rates are being re-evaluated this year but councils will face a blizzard of appeals and firms could go to the wall before the hearing takes place, says Gary Walton, of businessratesadvice. com.
“Some firms are only now finding out the value of their premises has been more than doubled and many will not be able to afford these increases which come into effect in April,” he said.