Burnham-On-Sea’s MP James Heappey has this week warned that “Parliament is in grave danger of losing touch with the people we’re supposed to represent” over Brexit.
The MP told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We must deliver Brexit – in whatever shape. Not to do so would cause the most catastrophic breakdown of trust in our democracy.”
His comments came as MPs who voted on Wednesday evening to reject leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement and a day after the Government was defeated by a huge margin in the vote on the Prime Minister’s deal.
Mr Heappey says: “I am, of course, hugely disappointed that the Prime Minister’s deal didn’t pass. Whilst Remainers and Brexiteers were united against the deal they must now fight this out in the winner-takes-all battle that lies ahead.”
“Obviously one side is going to be absolutely distraught at the eventual outcome. Unless, of course, having peered over the precipice, there’s a new found enthusiasm for the PM’s deal in a week or two’s time.”
“I’ve decided that I will be voting to keep No Deal on the table and I’ll vote against an extension to Article 50. I’m very alive to the risks that brings and I’ve thought long and hard about that decision.”
“However the result of the referendum is what it is and the manifesto I stood on in 2017 clearly said that ‘no deal was better than a bad deal.’ More recently, I’ve passed laws in Parliament that have made No Deal the default if we are unable to agree on a deal. I think it would be inconsistent, perhaps even dishonest, if I were to now abandon that position.”
“We must deliver Brexit – in whatever shape. Not to do so would cause the most catastrophic breakdown of trust in our democracy.”
“I fear however that I’ll be in a minority in the House of Commons in taking that view and that worries me greatly.”
“Parliament is in grave danger of losing touch with the people we’re supposed to represent. My fellow MPs and I need to get a grip. And quickly.”
