National newspapers have been reporting on the Prime Minister’s “humiliating defeat” in last night’s Brexit Vote, where her deal lost by 230 votes, as the largest defeat in 100 years.
Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Robert Seely joined the 201 other MPs who voted in favour of the deal. They were defeated as 432 MPs voted against the deal.
The Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, has tabled a motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister which MPs will vote on this evening (Wednesday).
Seely: Supported May’s deal
Prior to the vote, Mr Seely explained on BBC R4’s PM programme how he would be voting.
He said that if MPs did not support what the Government had negotiated, they risked a “Julie Garland” moment, which is “something that is always over the rainbow” and that he wanted a “bird in the hand”, rather than “a couple of perfect eurosceptic birds in the bush”.
Green: Let the people decide
Isle of Wight Green Party’s parliamentary candidate, Vix Lowthion,
“The government have lost control of the Brexit negotiations. In 2016, 17 million voted to Leave and Take Back Control to make our Parliament sovereign. Last night’s vote on the deal was central to that democracy.
“MPs are elected to lead the country – to protect its citizens and act in the best interests of the United Kingdom. Mrs May’s deal was terrible. It did not allow us to Leave the EU unilaterally as we are still beholden to Brussels when it comes to trade. Neither did it allow us to Remain and keep our political influence in Europe.”
She went on to say,
“Our MP, Bob Seely, supported Mrs May’s deal. This is not in the best interests of the country – but of himself. In Monday’s Guardian he wrote that Dominic Grieve MP’s expertise in law makes him like Professor Yaffle in Bagpuss. Well, Bob Seely’s support for Mrs May’s deal reminds us of Thunderbirds and Parker the chauffeur’s obsequious “Yes, M’lady” to Lady Penelope. He will do anything Theresa May asks – just to keep in line and in favour with a hope of advancing his career.
“Bob Seely is putting himself and the future of his party before the long term future of our country.
“I understand why in this worrying time of austerity cuts that some people are demanding a General Election. But our first priority must be to have the political stability to tackle this Brexit mess. Where Parliament has utterly failed to reach a decision, we must trust the People and put it back to them in a final vote on a deal.”
Labour: Selfish interests of Party ahead of needs of Islanders
Island Labour’s spokesperson, Julian Critchley, said,
“Bob’s vote for May’s woeful deal is simply once again him putting the selfish interests of his Party ahead of the needs of Islanders. Even many Brexit voters recognise this deal as an abject failure of negotiation by the government, and reject it as adamantly as those who voted Remain. After two years, the Conservative government has backed itself into a corner by promising things it has always known it cannot deliver, and now finds itself deserted even by many of its own MPs who, unlike Bob, can’t bring themselves to vote for the mess they’ve created.
“It is quite clear that this government is in office but not in power. It cannot pass its flagship legislation. The DUP allies it bribed with our money to keep it in office have taken that bribe and still refuse to support it. It can’t even command the loyalty of many of its own MPs, leaving a blindly loyal rump, including Bob, supporting a zombie government with a zombie Prime Minister.”
He added,
“Our country deserves better. We deserve a government which cares about public services. We deserve a government which will address the desperate problems caused by underfunding and dreadful policies in our NHS, our schools and our social services. And we deserve a government that is capable of providing the national leadership which this chaotic Conservative shambles clearly cannot.
“We need an election, and we need one soon. Our country and our Island simply cannot afford to lose any more time to this incompetent administration which Bob loyally votes to keep in office against all of our interests.”
Lib Dem: Secretive approach and lack of consultation
Leader of the Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats Nick Stuart told OnTheWight,
“A majority of 230 against Theresa May in Parliament last night is a damning verdict.
“Two and a half years of effort, repeated Ministerial resignations, three Brexit Ministers and still a total failure.
“A group of British citizens spent a lot of time studying the realities of Brexit in depth and their verdict is damning; MPs rejected her deal. Which is no surprise given the secretive approach, the lack of consultation, the sheer inability to listen to business, to workers, to Universities and to all those who worry about the future of our youth.”
He went on to add,
“I’ve put on record our concerns about the effects on businesses, jobs and Universities and with my personal knowledge I’ve detailed how utterly difficult and impractical it is to get free trade deals with the rest of the world. Are you are prepared for the major economic, social and cultural hit of leaving the EU? Because our youth, our citizens in Europe and everyone receiving benefit from the state will suffer over the forthcoming decades and we do cannot support such dreadful consequences. Luckily many British People now see the reality of abandoning our neighbours in a hostile world, in spite of the many irritations about the Commission and the British political process.
“Which is why we are happy to see the back of this dreadful deal from Mrs Secret Squirrel, why we want Brexit stopped, and why we want a Peoples Vote.”
Seely: “A chance to honour the 2016 referendum result”
This afternoon (Wednesday), Bob Seely released the following statement,
“I am extremely disappointed, but not surprised, the Government’s EU withdrawal deal was defeated last night.
“I supported it because it was a chance to honour the 2016 referendum result to leave the European Union. A result that was voted for by 61.9% of those who entered the ballot box on the Isle of Wight and by the majority of those who voted in the United Kingdom.
“I remain convinced it’s also absolutely vital we carry out the wishes of the people who voted to leave and Parliament vowed it would honour that result.
“It cannot be right MPs have failed to carry out this mandate from the British people and are trying to overrule it. Continually suggesting to the electorate they are wrong and that parliament knows best is undermining our democracy from within.
“The deal was not the best, it had its problems and it was a compromise, but it was the only conceivable way to implement Brexit.
“What happens now cannot be foreseen, but I share the frustration of leavers and many remainers who want their representatives to get on with leaving the EU, not least so MPs can start concentrating on the day-to-day issues their constituents face.”
In Parliament today he repeated the line from the R4 interview yesterday,
Article edit
4.07pm Statement from MP and video added
