As we enter 2019, time is ticking down on Brexit: Vince Cable’s new year message
Following up his Christmas message, today Vince Cable’s new year message is out:
As we enter 2019, time is ticking down on Brexit.
The history books will look back on the coming three months as critical. Are we going to make a terrible mistake, leaving behind our influence in Europe’s most successful peace project and the world’s biggest marketplace or are the British people, in the final hours, going to be given a chance to reconsider in light of all the facts which has come to the surface in the last two years?
After two long years of negotiation, the Prime Minister has brought back a deal that satisfies no-one.
Her reaction is to try to frighten people with the prospect of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit with the potential for serious disruption of travel and business. In reality, that can’t happen unless she decides it should.
But the only way forward is to have a People’s Vote, with the option to Remain.
It’s a campaign we Liberal Democrats started. Now millions of people have joined us in demanding a better future than Brexit Britain has to offer, and the power of the millions who have signed petitions, lobbied their MP, or marched on Parliament – 700,000 of them just this year is beginning to bear fruit.
We have to keep fighting. We have perhaps only 90 days to change the course of this country, but with your support, we can do it.
I am desperate, then, to move on to confront the many crucial issues that have been kicked into the long grass: ageing and social care; homelessness and affordable housing; tacking the under-resourcing of schools and police; harnessing the new generation of technologies.
Enjoy your new year celebrations and then let’s get out there and win the fight for a People’s Vote and a brighter future for Britain.
Vince didn’t write this.. ‘No Deal’ is what will automatically happen unless we agree a deal or suspend/withdraw Article 50. Article 50 declares that we will leave, we have had two years to make our arrangements, so it is up to us.. this whole ‘negotiation’ period has been a massive confidence trick to waste time. Unless we agree something with the EU we leave with nothing. Willy-Wonka style.. she signed Article 50, presumably she read it first.?!
Here is the link to Vince Cable’s New Year’s message:
https://www.libdems.org.uk/cable-new-year-message-2018?utm_campaign=newyear_2018_v&utm_medium=email&utm_source=libdems
How it works is if you want to leave, you negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement, then action article 50..this protocol was ignored in the rush after the unexpected tiny majority, and parliament froze instead of insisting on a debate on the matter referred to it.
I think we must just continue campaigning for a people’s vote with the option of withdrawing Article 50 and remaining in the eu. It’s a tricky situation with Mrs May using a no deal as a black mailing tactic to gain her negotiated deal. The vote on that must be a straight accept or reject. If rejected then no deal should be also rejected unless confirmed in a people’s vote. The government has no mandate if her deal is rejected and parliament’s is tenuous. The referendum changed everything.
I am massively in favour of remain. I think leaving is backward looking and a betrayal of the young. (I am a pensioner) However, in the interest of unity, I would support a comprehensive, committed, free trade agreement, something along the lines of that of Norway or Switzerland. but, I suspect there’s no chance of that.
The message is right and good. The power to change is limited to our ability to get out on the door step and and tell people this is the last chance before we all get poorer. except those investing abroad. As we sell off the family silver due to the falling pound, we will loose the ability to defend peace in Europe, having already lost the ability in most other continents. Project fear has the chickens coming home to roost.