After months of false promises, bombastic words and meaningless statements, it’s squeaky bum time for the PM’s Brexit negotiations.
Amidst the complications and the current deadlock on technical but crucial questions, like the timing of the Irish backstop, two points remain blindingly obvious.
No deal, no matter how many +++’s Brexiteers add to their preferred model, will match the existing terms of our EU membership. It was obvious from day one that the EU27 would never allow us to keep the benefits of EU membership, without abiding by its obligations. The PM’s choice has always been simple: a “no deal” that wrecks our economy or accept a status as “rule takers”, under a Norway-type of association.
It’s also always been clear that since her failed snap General Election, the PM would struggle to get any deal through Parliament. The trashing, by all sides, of her Chequers plan, coordinated lobbying by ERG members and threats by the DUP to bring the Government down are important signals that her grip on Parliament has faltered and Parliament will not be cornered into accepting any deal.
So far, the Conservatives have made a mess out of Brexit and the Labour Party leadership are helping them deliver a destructive Brexit that will be bad for Britain.
Given the current impasse and the fact that we now know that Brexit will leave us worse off, there is only one way to resolve this issue and that is by giving people, not politicians, the final say on the deal with the option to remain in the EU.
I’m proud that the Liberal Democrats have led the campaign to secure a final say on the deal from the start. We knew we were right then and we are proud that, what was once marginalised and ridiculed, has now become a mainstream topic in all discussions of Brexit. I’m also proud that thanks to our resolve, this campaign has grown into a mass cross-party movement made up of millions of people from all over the UK. I’ve been attending rallies and street stalls up and down the country and it’s been incredibly refreshing and inspiring to see so many people want to get involved.
If you agree that it’s time to end this madness and take back control of our future, I urge you to join the thousands of us who will be marching this Saturday to demand a People’s Vote. It’s not too late to convince the Government and Jeremy Corbyn to trust the will of the people. In a mature democracy, when the facts on the ground change, people have the right to express their views in the ballot box. I hope to see you on Saturday so we can make this point loud and clear.