THE rhetoric has been ramped up, the grandstanding continues and yet I still firmly believe the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal is the best we have in front of us, writes Rachel Maclean.
Is it perfect? No.
Does it involve compromises on both sides? Yes.
That is what happens in a divorce like this. Neither side gets what it wants.
But what it does do is deliver on the result of the 2016 referendum.
The reason the EU is now protesting so loudly is because they have caved in on a number of their ‘red lines’ to give us a completely bespoke deal – something they said they would never do and something they do not want to give other members.
This is not a decision I make in party-political interests. I make it as a fully independent backbencher, not part of any group or faction in Parliament, who has devoted thousands of hours to reading the documents, speaking to my constituents, meeting representatives of industry, government ministers, attending select committee hearings and debates in Parliament.
There are passionate views on both sides, with some telling me to vote against the deal, to back the deal and even to support calls for a People’s Vote.
It’s very clear neither I nor the Prime Minister will please absolutely everyone.
I do not support calls for a second referendum. I believe if I was to vote down the deal, we would certainly end up with no Brexit.
The Opposition, and some on our own benches, are seeking to exploit this situation to stop Brexit completely.
I stood on a manifesto commitment to deliver Brexit, and it is what 62 per cent of my constituents voted for.
There is a silent majority in the country who want us to come together and accept that yes, this deal isn’t perfect, but after two years of intense negotiations it is the only deal on the table.
This isn’t about my future, this is about your future and the future of our country. It delivers on the result of the referendum and means we can focus on delivering a bright future beyond Brexit.
