My update on Brexit ahead of the votes on the amendment tonight
The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union is an issue in which there are strongly held views and opinions on both sides of the debate. Some may even go so far as to say they may be entrenched positions. I have never been one for such positions.
I was an on balance leave supporter but I didn’t support either side of the referendum campaign. Brexit is an important issue, but to me it is only one of many. If I am honest, I would like us to just get on with it so we can move on to talking about really important issues like our economy, schools, environment, and our NHS.
Before my election as an MP in 2015, I was a solicitor. My clients would regularly say to me ’but it’s the principle of it’, or ‘but I’m completely right on this’.
Often they were right, and often they had sound principles. However, as I would always remind them, and I would remind parliamentary colleagues too, stubborn principles are expensive.
Refusing to compromise, and insisting that your course is the right one may feel empowering, but you risk losing everything in the process. That is why pragmatism is so important now.
A willingness to seek compromise is key to securing the best outcome for everyone. In many legal cases, neither client considers themselves to have ‘won’ outright, but that is invariably the best overall result. Very rarely does either side get everything they want from a dispute. Yet, if both sides secure significant enough concessions, they could all be content with the outcome.
Brexit and the Withdrawal Agreement are no different. Parliament has consistently set out what it won’t accept. The EU has set out what it won’t accept. My inbox is filled with emails outlining what members of the public won’t accept.
This House has not yet indicated what it would accept.
This is our opportunity.
I don’t like several aspects of the Withdrawal Agreement but I am willing to compromise. If the backstop is addressed, I can, and will accept it.
The Prime Minister has not as of yet been able to go to Brussels and demonstrate a parliamentary mandate for any one course of action. For this reason, the EU has repeatedly said ‘what does the UK want?’
The amendment put forward by my colleague Sir Graham Brady is far from perfect but it serves a purpose. By voting for his amendment this evening we can send a clear signal to the EU that we want a deal, we are willing and prepared to compromise but the backstop must be addressed.
If we support this amendment then for the first time in these negotiations, the Prime Minister will be able to go to Brussels and say that Parliament will vote for the deal subject to this one change. It would put the ball firmly in the EU’s court.
As a result, I will be supporting the amendment this evening, I will be voting to empower our Prime Minister, to give her the mandate from Parliament she seeks and to give her the strongest possible hand to negotiate with the European Union.