Thanet’s Conservative MPs Craig Mackinlay and Sir Roger Gale voted with the government yesterday (September 3) against moves to take over the agenda in the Commons, aimed at delaying Brexit.
But the government, and new Prime Minister Boris Johnson, were defeated as the vote to give MPs the chance to introduce a law postponing the UK’s departure from the European Union until January 31 in the event of a no deal scenario was won. Twenty-one Tory’s voted against their government. The final vote was 328 to 301.
And today The EU (withdrawal) bill is passing through its second reading in the Commons and will now be considered in a Committee of the whole House.
Mr Johnson has said if the bill is passed he will call for a general election.
Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, he will need the support of at least two-thirds of MPs to succeed. This could prove problematic after the whip was removed from yesterday’s 21 ‘rebels’.
The event highlights the brutal fight between Government and the MPs in the struggle to avoid a no deal Brexit and paves the way for a possible General Election.
This morning Ramsgate County Councillor Karen Constantine held a ‘Brexit Breakfast’ outside Craig Mackinlay’s office, joined by Labour Councillors Helen Whitehead and Steve Albon.
She has sent Mr Mackinlay a letter asking him to help avoid a hard Brexit.
In it she says: “The prospect of a hard Brexit will leave Thanet residents worse off, we will see rising food prices, gridlock around Manston, and increased shortages of medical supplies”.
“I’m asking you to put the needs and interests of local people, local businesses and workers first. A hard Brexit will cause hardship and more difficulties.”
Mr Mackinlay said this week: “The choice on the ballot paper was clear and unambiguous as well – do you want to remain or leave? This was a time when the usual Sovereign power of Parliament was returned to the electorate; Parliament relegated itself to the second division, and the Sovereignty of the nation, on this issue, was properly given to the voters.
“Indeed, after a long referendum campaign spanning six months and endless analysis and discussion across all media, a well-informed public made its decision on a high turnout, with leave winning by a margin of more than a million.
“It is not now for Parliament or government to do anything but implement the will of the nation.”
If a snap election is called Mr Mackinlay and Sir Roger will stand. There is also a Brexit Party candidate for South Thanet, to stand against Mr Mackinlay. Timothy Vince, a local resident of 20 years, announced last week that he would contest the constituency.
In the event of an election a selection process for candidates will need to take place.
1: Wrest control of Parliaments agenda from the unelected Dominic Cummings Done
2. Introduce a bill that ensures that if dear Piffle cannot change the current deal on the table that he MUST go back to the EU and ask for a further extension
3. Ensure that any attempt by the Piffles to call an election before the 31st October is defeated ensuring the chief Piffle is humiliated for his prorogation coup.
4. Ensure that any General Election occurs after the 31st October is fought on the one condition that the people of the UK now knowing why Brexit was called (not taking back control that was never ceded to the EU) have an opportunity to take back control from that runaway bus heading off the “no deal” cliff.
All done in the best democratic way. It does seem odd that Cummings had a majority of minus one and then removes the whip from a further 21 Tory MP’s (self-destruct anyone)
Just drop the whole idea and let the current MEPs work in the European Parliament to improve, if necessary, the conditions of membership, not just for the UK but all EU member countries.
No one knew what the Terms & Conditions were to leave the EU when they voted in the Referendum, if they think they did why didn’t they tell Teresa May and the rest of us 3 years ago! We still don’t know, and now we are saddled with a con man, and proven liar, (remember £350 million a week going to the NHS, yeah, right Boris, that was another one of your lies!) who was elected as leader of the Conservative party by a small group of hunter/killer mostly blue rinsed Tory ladies, and is now Prime Minister! Duurh!
The result of the Referendum was 48% Remain, and 52% to Leave, the turnout was 72%. So 52% of 72% is just under 38% to leave! That means 62% of the electorate didn’t vote to Leave, is that clear or did I go too fast for you? At least most MP’s are standing up for us to make Johnson and his accolades accountable, and to stop his attempt at becoming a Dictator for a joke! As Marina Hyde, the best political satirist in the country said, Smirky McSmirk Face is trying to have the last laugh. The last laugh will be trying to live on a bowl of rice a day, because if we don’t have a deal to leave the EU the country will be at the mercy of the Chinese, USA, India, and any tin pot country that will export their goods and services cheaply to undercut ours! This will mean businesses, and industries going bust, because they won’t be able to compete! All this, plus another 30 years of bombing and shootings in Northern Ireland just because people don’t like foreigners! Again, Duurh!
Leave means leave. I didn’t vote to leave with a deal or any ties to the EU. Leave and then negotiate. All these remoaners make me laugh, you included Marva.
so why don’t you leave. I doubt you would be missed
Cry more. ????
What a thoroughly unpleasant person you are.
You’re a disgrace to the name of “Andrew”.
If we leave, there will be no negotiation. We will have left. The bridges will have been burned. We will be at the back and call of Trump and Jinping
Likewise I’m so glad that 21 former conservative MP’s had the whip withdrawn. Well done Boris!
Talking of Sir Roger Gale, I saw him on TV today anxiously asking that the million or so Britons who live and work in the EU should not be forgotten and that they should enjoy the full right to remain in the EU if they so wish. Quite right, of course. But shouldn’t he have thought of this, and many other problems, before he campaigned for Brexit? It’s a bit late worrying about all the implications now.
MPs Craig Mackinlay Is like a lap dog to an idiot. Johnson lies and lies and more lies Not only to his ex wife but also to the voters of this land. I hope Roger Gale (who I used to respect) and the accountant who can not count Mackinlay are pleased with theirselves supporting a deceiving and lying a prime minister. Shame on them.
I am British not European and want to leave to cut ties with Brussels conmen taking British cash and only returning a third. The banks know that is not a good return on our money and so do the politicians but they are continuing to deceive the majority who voted to leave without a deal. We once had a Great Country, now look at it since joining the EU. Democracy no longer exists in the hands of these fools representing us. Looks like it could be the end of the Tory party too, but that wouldn’t be such a bad thing!
The Banks certainly know that a hard Brexit would be a catastrophe for the UK. That’s why, for example, Barclay’s Bank had moved £B’s of business from the UK to the Republic of Ireland.
Never mind. We’ll get our blue passports back.
Quite right! The same goes for Jacob Rees Mogg, he is involved with a Hedge Fund, that moved £billions to Ireland too! How very patriotic of him!
You must be European if your ancestry is Roman,Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Norse or Norman, as these islands are part of Europe.
Is an election going to resolve the deep splits in social cohesion within England and the union known as the UK?
In 2015 we had an election and one coalition partner sought and succeeded in destroying the other.Election expenditure was exceeded in various constituencies and a Govt was formed on the basis of calling a referendum.
In 2016 there was an election in the form of a referendum and while there was a narrow majority in favour of leave; how the UK was to leave was unknown.It is still unknown.
In 2017 the then PM, for reasons only she can explain,called an election and the govt lost its majority.
Now in 2019 a call for another election.
What are we? a banana republic or like France in the 3rd and 4th republics? Why not go for the best of 10 or draw the govt out of a hat?
I presume the PM feels that the workings of first past the post might by some unjust quirk give him a majority, be it ever so slim.Does that give him a mandate to do what he likes?
I am not very party political nowadays, but I would ask those in the Tory party to think very carefully about defenestrating Nicholas Soames,Ken Clarke and the rest of the 21. They are your kith and kin, the warp and weft of the party.Without them the Tory party looks extreme and not a balanced representative body for middle England; but then perhaps middle England, has become radicalised.