PRO-EU politicians state case for People’s Vote
With the Brexit process reaching a critical point, the Bath for Europe group hosted an event bringing together four local politicians. The pro-remain group wanted to put the benefits of EU membership and separate what they believe to be Brexit myth from fact. All members of the panel thought that Brexit would leave Bath, and the nation poorer in many ways. The panel consisted of South West MEPS Molly Scott Cato (Green Party), Clare Moody (Labour) and Julie Girling (Independent, formerly Conservative). Bath MP Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat), who sits on the Exiting the European Union Committee in Parliament, was the panel chair. Julie Girling was expelled from the Conservative Party after she voted in the European Parliament that the UK had not made sufficient progress in Brexit talks and should not start trade talks earlier this year, a move her then party saw as being against British interests. She now serves as an Independent. Speaking to a packed house in Hayesfield Lower School, the MEPS spoke of the benefits of EU membership, the impact Brexit would have, and why they think it is important to push for a People’s Vote. Staunch pro-european Ms Hobhouse opened the event, describing the “fractious mood” in Parliament and the growing support for a People’s Vote. Clare Moody focused on two topics: people – both UK citizens residing in the EU and EU citizens living in this country - and research. She said: “We have lost 90 per cent of EU nurses since last year…there have been pretty abhorrent reactions from some segments of our society creating a toxic environment of ‘You’re not welcome here’. We have to challenge this.” She spoke about how the UK benefits from its research links with the EU, for example as a beneficiary of Horizon 2020, the largest research programme in the world, worth €100 billion. She said: “We’re leading but we will be shut out. We will have third country status if we leave the EU.” Molly Scott Cato said the South West faced a 5 per cent drop in GDP in a No Deal scenario. Many of those employed in tourism and hospitality, which are key sectors locally, are EU nationals. Meanwhile 6 per cent of the region’s university students come from the EU, between 20-25 per cent of whom are funded through the EU’S Erasmus grants. This would have a knock-on effect on university towns like Bath. Julie Girling said the aim was to keep the door open for a People’s Vote. She said that because of what she believes is the Government’s mishandling of Brexit, “the UK’S political capital is worth nothing.” However, she believes we can recover this. The Q&A session covered a wide range of topics, from the Irish border, the schism in the Labour Party, emerging illegalities of the Leave campaign and the need to improve political education in this country. In conclusion, Ms Hobhouse said: “There is still time to stop Brexit. A People’s Vote is the democratic route for the government to get out of this crisis. We now have a responsibility to let people know how much better their lives will be if we remain in the EU.”