As everybody from Gary Lineker to the Independent is now backing the People’s Vote campaign for a referendum on the final Brexit deal – which started out as a Lib Dem idea in the Summer two years ago – there is one notable exception.
The SNP is the third largest party in Parliament. It could make the difference. Yet it continues to sit on its hands on this most important question.
Nicola Sturgeon could have used her meeting with Theresa May to say that the SNP will block the deal and push for a People’s Vote, but she didn’t. It was all about independence instead.
Christine Jardine accused the SNP of hypocrisy:
The First Minister is right to warn that a no-deal Brexit is unthinkable. But that is what the Tories have in the pipeline. This presents an immediate threat to our economy and public services.
It is therefore rampant hypocrisy for the SNP to lament the consequences of Brexit and do nothing about it.
With the prospect of a disastrous no-deal on the horizon, I find it bizarre that the SNP are still refusing to stand up to the Tories and join the fight to give the people the final say on the deal, and an opportunity to Exit from Brexit.
There is something that the SNP can do to help us all avoid a disastrous Brexit. It would be irresponsible of them not to back that all-important People’s Vote.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
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9 Comments
There does need to be a negotiated settlement but time is running out. At present there isn’t anything new to put before the people. On the other hand there won’t be a disastrous Brexit with no planes flying etc after we’ve jumped off the proverbial cliff. The European aviation system needs the Heathrow hub just as much as we do. They aren’t going to allow a little matter of a 52% vote to adversely affect that!
So we are approaching the final stages of brinkmanship. We can expect talks will continue long after the 29th March. There will always be those discussions. This may even be the start date of the real talks rather than the pretend talks we are having at the moment.
In the interim EU will probably put us on a similar status to the Channel Islands or Monaco. Neither are in the EU or the single market but effectively they may as well be for trading purposes.
Peter Martin 9th Aug ’18 – 1:30pm:
There does need to be a negotiated settlement…
Not for trade. The current Chequers’ proposal (it’s not yet a deal) doesn’t honour the referendum result at all. It’s a Brexit in name only. Much the best way forward now is to leave onto our WTO agreements already in place and then invite the EU to negotiate a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement along with the rest of the World. We already do the majority of our trade on WTO rules; our ports and HMRC say they are ready to handle the remainder. Holdups? Just suspend tariffs and wave the goods through – under WTO rules there is no need to maintain a customs border at all.
‘A World Trade Deal under WTO rules is now the best option for the UK’ [August 2018]:
https://brexitcentral.com/world-trade-deal-wto-rules-now-best-option-uk/
Here’s a strategy to progress negotiations on an equitable basis…
‘A Modest Proposal for Brexit: Turning the tables on the EU’ [August 2018]:
https://reaction.life/modest-proposal-brexit-turning-tables-eu/
Bless Jeff has someone given you something to cut and paste? Just wave the goods through, problem is Jeff the EU are unlikely to do the same with goods leaving the UK. You know goods don’t just go one way don’t you Jeff and in many cases actually leave for the EU come back and leave again. No it appears you didn’t, next time ask them to give you something to cut and paste that deals with that problem.
Why are the SNP not in favour of a “Peoples Vote” there is a simple enough answer to that will a disastrous Brexit make Independence more likely, well when you have worked out the answer to that their stance makes sense, The SNP zealots will have Independence at any price just like the Brexit zealots will have Brexit at any price. They know most people won’t go along with that, so they need an enemy and a smokescreen of delusion (again Brexiteers and the SNP have much in common).
Just as an aside this was posted earlier today
Do not judge Brexiteers by their words, judge them by their actions.
– Jacob Rees-Mogg – setting up funds in Ireland to maintain access to the EU for his wealthy investment class mates.
– John Redwood – Advising investors to get their cash out of Britain before the Brexit crash, whilst simultaneously propagandising in favour of “no deal” Brexit in The S*n.
– Nigel Lawson – Applying for French residency so that he can maintain the personal benefits of Free Movement, while the British public lose theirs.
– Michael Ashcroft – Promoting Malta as a great destination for investors to move their cash when the Brexit meltdown hits.
– Nigel Farage – Bagging German passports for his kids so that they can continue to benefit from Free Movement while millions of British kids lose the travel/work/study opportunities that it provides.
– And now Jim Ratcliffe (Brexiteer and Britain’s richest man) leaving the UK to set himself up in the tax haven of Monaco.
I wonder if it is dawning on or brighter Brexiteers that their leaders are not sticking around and only they will carry the can?.
@ Frankie Please open your eyes and ears and put away your (English ?) prejudice, Frankie
Brexit news: SNP calls for SECOND EU REFERENDUM | Politics …
https://www.express.co.uk › News › Politics
6 Jul 2018 – NICOLA Sturgeon’s minister has called for the Government to give voters a say on the final outcome of the talks between Britain and the……….
David,
Look how hard it is to unravel a relationship of forty years how much hard is one of over four hundred. Now I know you will say look at Eire, yes I did and after Independence they had to cut the pension and they didn’t take off until they joined the EEC which was later to become the EU. Now if your saying leave the UK and join the EU might be for the betterment of Scotland perhaps but not in the short term or medium term but possibly the long term. Most people don’t want to take that punt, hence the need for delusion and an enemy. Brexiteers ran with that line, let us see how that works out; so far so bad and now only the most blinkered mention sunlit uplands aka the faries and unicorn fantasy cue Jeff.
You aren’t meant to use the phrase ‘People’s Vote’ (Lord only knows why!)
Frankie – merely correcting your statement on the SNP and a second referendum – no more – no less.