Every day since the 23rd June 2016 when the British people voted to leave and take back their freedom, I have fought to deliver upon the mandate of the Referendum. I am glad that we now have a Prime Minister who is standing up for Britain and that the government is doing everything it can to deliver the Brexit that the people voted for.
We must deliver Brexit and restore faith in our British democracy. Remainers and Leavers in Romford, which voted 70% to leave, have had enough of Brexit debates and want us now to get on with leaving.
Not just the country, but also Parliament itself voted overwhelmingly to leave when it triggered Article 50. Both major parties stood on manifestos which promised to leave the EU at the last election and received over 80% of the vote. For Parliament now to attempt to overturn the result of the EU referendum and go against the will of the people would do incalculable damage to our democracy.
I would support any arrangement that delivers on the result of the Referendum, meaning leaving the customs union, an end to free movement and a stop to absurd payments to Brussels. In my role as one of the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys and as a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, I have consistently worked to ensure that Britain reclaims its position as a truly global, independent trading nation.
That could mean leaving with a new free trade agreement, if Brussels are willing to negotiate constructively, but if they are not, it means leaving without a deal on WTO terms. We must not be trapped in a “single customs territory” with no clear leaving date and no ability to secure promising new free trade agreements. A Brexit that leaves us without control of our laws, borders and trade policy does not deliver on what the people voted for.
I will continue to back Boris in parliament to ensure that we leave the European Union in a way that delivers on the referendum result. I will vote against any attempts to delay, stop, or water down Brexit by the opposition.
The British people have had enough: it is now time to be decisive and get out of the EU once and for all!
