I am just back from my early morning bike ride along the sea wall. I set out thinking about what I still have to do to get ready to attend a family wedding this weekend. A lot - blimey what a procrastinator! But Brexit and Boris's deal loomed. As an ardent supporter of Brexit and of Boris's deal I need to make this point - but I have to keep it short.
As you will know the EU and the UK agreed a deal yesterday. However it has to be ratified by our Parliament.
Like millions of others I have been following reactions to the announcement of the deal. I want to pick up on one argument used by Labour and Liberal Democrats to justify not supporting the deal.
They say there is no protection for environmental, social (wages etc) and food standards.They talk about a race to the bottom to make our economy more competitive. They are in effect saying we need the EU to ensure we maintain and improve our standards in these areas.
Evidently they have no faith in the British people (or have any historical knowledge of the creation of our Welfare State) !
The rebuff to their concerns is simple, honourable and practical. DEMOCRACY.
Our Government will be in charge of these things. Every 5 years we can elect a new government. If they have done a bad job in the eyes of the majority and there is a better option - they will not be re-elected. It is as clear as that. We the people decide. Why are Labour arguing the British people cannot trust ourselves. Why are they arguing we need other nations to decide what is best for our nation?
A simple example. Some people say the Tories want to scrap the NHS. If they did it would be political suicide. They would never be re elected because the NHS is held as such a valued institution by the British people. It is not going to happen. In fact the reverse is true. Tories will not get re-elected unless they are seen to be striving to improve the NHS.
The whole point of Brexit is we take back control. We govern ourselves. The people elect the government in our democracy. If their policies and priorities are not what the people want they will not be re-elected as a government by the people!
The issue of immigration is similarly answered. If the UK has a shortage of labour or want to respond to a humanitarian need the UK government is in charge. We decide what is best for our nation. If the people do not like the direction the government is taking they will be thrown out at the next general election. This is democracy in action. (politicians keep an eye on opinion polls)
Finally the issue of consent in Northern Ireland. The deal gives Stormont (the NI parliament) the right to decide every 4 years if they want to continue with the agreed customs arrangements set out in the deal. Under the deal this will be decided by simple majority. The DUP in effect want a veto - by requiring a higher threshold ( say a 2/3rds majority). This is not democratic. A simple majority seems reasonable to me. The people of Northern Ireland decide. They have the power by determining who they elect. I cannot see what is wrong with that.
Lets hope Boris's deal is carried. It should be. It gives us back full control to determine our own future (at the end of the transition period) and this is what the people want and voted for. However the main point is it is the democratic imperative. Remainer MP's are duplicitous and self serving. They are trying to trash our democracy for short term political advantage and will grab any bogus justification they can find.
As you will know the EU and the UK agreed a deal yesterday. However it has to be ratified by our Parliament.
Like millions of others I have been following reactions to the announcement of the deal. I want to pick up on one argument used by Labour and Liberal Democrats to justify not supporting the deal.
They say there is no protection for environmental, social (wages etc) and food standards.They talk about a race to the bottom to make our economy more competitive. They are in effect saying we need the EU to ensure we maintain and improve our standards in these areas.
Evidently they have no faith in the British people (or have any historical knowledge of the creation of our Welfare State) !
The rebuff to their concerns is simple, honourable and practical. DEMOCRACY.
Our Government will be in charge of these things. Every 5 years we can elect a new government. If they have done a bad job in the eyes of the majority and there is a better option - they will not be re-elected. It is as clear as that. We the people decide. Why are Labour arguing the British people cannot trust ourselves. Why are they arguing we need other nations to decide what is best for our nation?
A simple example. Some people say the Tories want to scrap the NHS. If they did it would be political suicide. They would never be re elected because the NHS is held as such a valued institution by the British people. It is not going to happen. In fact the reverse is true. Tories will not get re-elected unless they are seen to be striving to improve the NHS.
The whole point of Brexit is we take back control. We govern ourselves. The people elect the government in our democracy. If their policies and priorities are not what the people want they will not be re-elected as a government by the people!
The issue of immigration is similarly answered. If the UK has a shortage of labour or want to respond to a humanitarian need the UK government is in charge. We decide what is best for our nation. If the people do not like the direction the government is taking they will be thrown out at the next general election. This is democracy in action. (politicians keep an eye on opinion polls)
Finally the issue of consent in Northern Ireland. The deal gives Stormont (the NI parliament) the right to decide every 4 years if they want to continue with the agreed customs arrangements set out in the deal. Under the deal this will be decided by simple majority. The DUP in effect want a veto - by requiring a higher threshold ( say a 2/3rds majority). This is not democratic. A simple majority seems reasonable to me. The people of Northern Ireland decide. They have the power by determining who they elect. I cannot see what is wrong with that.
Lets hope Boris's deal is carried. It should be. It gives us back full control to determine our own future (at the end of the transition period) and this is what the people want and voted for. However the main point is it is the democratic imperative. Remainer MP's are duplicitous and self serving. They are trying to trash our democracy for short term political advantage and will grab any bogus justification they can find.
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