As another week draws to a close, the opportunism of the Conservatives becomes more apparent, using the chaos of Brexit to disguise their true intent. And it isn’t to make life better for ordinary people, or to fulfil the promises of the Leave campaign…

• Lib Dems: Boris still peddling mistruths on Brexit
• Lib Dems fight Tory threats to human rights
• Lib Dems: Final fig leaf of leave campaign falls off with Fox

Lib Dems: Boris still peddling mistruths on Brexit

Responding to the speech Boris Johnson made today, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

No one will take lessons from Boris Johnson on eroding trust in our democracy. The fact he is still peddling mistruths about money from Brexit going to our NHS is shameful. Brexit will make us poorer.

As exit day approaches, with Theresa May’s deal soundly defeated, extending Article 50 is the only responsible course of action left.

We can then hold a people’s vote with the option to remain in the EU. This could happen much sooner than has been suggested and dig the country out of the huge hole the Tories have excavated.

Lib Dems fight Tory threats to human rights

Responding to a letter suggesting that the Conservative Government will consider repealing the Human Rights Act after Brexit, the Liberal Democrats vowed to “continue to lead the fight to protect our human rights”.

The letter, from Justice Minister Edward Argar to the House of Lords’ EU Committee, states that the Government will not repeal or replace the Human Rights Act “while the process of EU exit is underway”, but will “wait until the process of leaving the EU concludes before considering the matter further”.

This follows concerns raised by Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey over the lack of a proper commitment to the European Court of Human Rights in Theresa May’s Brexit deal. As Mr Davey pointed out in a letter to the Prime Minister dated 22nd November 2018:

The draft political declaration published today (22nd November) merely states that: ‘The future relationship should incorporate the United Kingdom’s continued commitment to respect the framework of the European Convention on Human Rights’.

In that letter, Mr Davey asked the Prime Minister to explain this weakened wording, and to commit to the UK remaining a party to the ECHR.

Commenting on the Government’s letter, Ed Davey said:

This new Conservative threat to repeal the Human Rights Act and withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights is a scandal, and will undermine the Prime Minister’s attempt to win consensus.

The European Convention is totally separate from the EU, so the Conservatives have no mandate to attack British freedoms, yet it seems if Brexit goes through, that is their plan.

The Liberal Democrats demand better. We will continue to lead the fight to protect our human rights against Conservative attempts to undermine them.

Lib Dems: Final fig leaf of leave campaign falls off with Fox

Commenting on Liam Fox’s admission that he hasn’t yet secured any trade deals in preparation for a no deal Brexit, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

The final fig leaf of the leave campaign has finally fallen off as it turns out several trade deals Liam Fox said would be ready for Brexit will not be, perhaps not even one.

Not only has Liam Fox’s ‘easiest trade deal in history’ failed to materialise, so to have new trade deals disappeared from view.

This is why it is time to go back to the public with a people’s vote, with an option to remain.