Saturday, March 18, 2017
Has Theresa May become an intolerant nouveau brexiteer?
When it comes to leaving the EU there has been no greater Damascene conversion than that of the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May. After all the now-Prime Minister had backed Remain in the 2016 referendum, declaring in a speech that it was “clearly in our national interest to remain a member of the European Union”.
A more unkind critic than me, might question whether Theresa May's commitment to the European cause was that well entrenched or was she just going through the motions? Either way she has shed her previous convictions with all the vigour and fanaticism of a convert. She is now going for hard Brexit, no quarter given.
I was bemused to read in the Western Mail this morning that Liam Fox believes that it would be "politically irresponsible" for the European Union to erect barriers to trading with the UK after Brexit. Really? What did he expect?
He campaigned to leave the EU, he is part of a Government insisting on leaving the single market. Both courses of action are anti-free trade and in both instances the consequences have been spelt out to Fox and his cronies. If you leave a free trade area then you have to pay tariffs to continue trading with it.
It is the position of Liam Fox and the Brexiteers that is politically irresponsible not the EU, who are only seeking to protect their own position.
The intolerance of any dissent within the Tory Party is best summed up by Michael Heseltine's letter to Theresa May as quoted in the Independent:
Lord Heseltine wrote: “You say in your letter that I will understand the necessity to end that relationship. Here we disagree.
“In the referendum campaign it was recognised that so deeply held and so divided were the views on both sides that members of the Cabinet and other ministers were free to argue and vote against the Government's European policy without sanction.”
“I have repeatedly said you have every right to end my relationship with the Government,” he wrote.
“The simple fact remains that you have changed your mind since the excellent speech you made in the referendum campaign arguing that we should remain in the European Union. I have not.”
Lord Heseltine said that his vote for the House of Lords amendment - which was later overturned by the Commons - could not have delayed or denied Mrs May's ability to trigger withdrawal talks under Article 50 of the EU treaties.
After Downing Street indicated that Mrs May will wait as long as two weeks after the passage of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act before triggering Article 50, Lord Heseltine said: “The urgency about which we heard so much at the time seems in the event somewhat diminished.”
He said his rebel vote was designed “to give the House of Commons a second chance to enshrine in law a commitment you yourself had already given to allow Parliament a vote on any Brexit deal”.
Does the Prime Minister really want to divide the country in this way. She has said not but her actions defeat her words.
A more unkind critic than me, might question whether Theresa May's commitment to the European cause was that well entrenched or was she just going through the motions? Either way she has shed her previous convictions with all the vigour and fanaticism of a convert. She is now going for hard Brexit, no quarter given.
I was bemused to read in the Western Mail this morning that Liam Fox believes that it would be "politically irresponsible" for the European Union to erect barriers to trading with the UK after Brexit. Really? What did he expect?
He campaigned to leave the EU, he is part of a Government insisting on leaving the single market. Both courses of action are anti-free trade and in both instances the consequences have been spelt out to Fox and his cronies. If you leave a free trade area then you have to pay tariffs to continue trading with it.
It is the position of Liam Fox and the Brexiteers that is politically irresponsible not the EU, who are only seeking to protect their own position.
The intolerance of any dissent within the Tory Party is best summed up by Michael Heseltine's letter to Theresa May as quoted in the Independent:
Lord Heseltine wrote: “You say in your letter that I will understand the necessity to end that relationship. Here we disagree.
“In the referendum campaign it was recognised that so deeply held and so divided were the views on both sides that members of the Cabinet and other ministers were free to argue and vote against the Government's European policy without sanction.”
“I have repeatedly said you have every right to end my relationship with the Government,” he wrote.
“The simple fact remains that you have changed your mind since the excellent speech you made in the referendum campaign arguing that we should remain in the European Union. I have not.”
Lord Heseltine said that his vote for the House of Lords amendment - which was later overturned by the Commons - could not have delayed or denied Mrs May's ability to trigger withdrawal talks under Article 50 of the EU treaties.
After Downing Street indicated that Mrs May will wait as long as two weeks after the passage of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act before triggering Article 50, Lord Heseltine said: “The urgency about which we heard so much at the time seems in the event somewhat diminished.”
He said his rebel vote was designed “to give the House of Commons a second chance to enshrine in law a commitment you yourself had already given to allow Parliament a vote on any Brexit deal”.
Does the Prime Minister really want to divide the country in this way. She has said not but her actions defeat her words.
Comments:
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There are those of us who believe that we are now seeing the true face of Mrs May and that the support for Cameron's pro-EU position was a mask.
She 'controlled' immigration when at the Home Office with her warnings on vans etc. This implies to me that she did not like 'foriegners'. Supporting the Cameron Govnt. remain stance was,cos of her being in the Govnt. required from her. which she did quietly. Cameron,s rant at her would get her back up, a score to settle. Vengeance, revenge and she takes the country down with her.
The voter ,I believe, sees Brexit as a thing to notice but it is not their top priority. Jobs, health, looking after the family etc. is their concern. These are the subjects we must push on the doorstep etc. Yes campaign on Brexit but do make it relevant to peoples lives.
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The voter ,I believe, sees Brexit as a thing to notice but it is not their top priority. Jobs, health, looking after the family etc. is their concern. These are the subjects we must push on the doorstep etc. Yes campaign on Brexit but do make it relevant to peoples lives.
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