Nick Clegg has been in Ireland this week talking about Brexit with fellow Remainers Michael Heseltine and Andrew Adonis.
In his iPaper column, he talks about the massive problems Brexit will cause.
We also share responsibility for a precious peace in Northern Ireland. But too many ministers, including the Prime Minister, have treated these obligations as inconvenient obstacles on the way to the hardest of Brexits. It was the same situation during the referendum, when leading Brexiteers were quick to dismiss any concerns about the Irish border. But there is no avoiding the obvious consequences of the British government’s determination to interpret the 2016 referendum result as a mandate to take the UK out of the Single Market and the Customs Union. Doing so will see a land border created between the EU and the UK for the first time, and if the tariffs, standards and regulations adopted by the UK diverge from that of the EU, then a working border, with customs checks, will be unavoidable.
So how do we get out of it? Parliament, Nick says, can vote it down, but some people just shouldn’t bother turning up because they just won’t help:
For people like me, who believe the only way out of this Brexit mess is for Parliament to reject that deal, the question is one of arithmetic: will there be enough MPs courageous enough to do so?
One solution, which has been mooted, is for Sinn Fein, whose MPs historically abstain from taking their seats, to send their MPs to Westminster and vote against the deal. I would urge them to stay away. Their presence would create a ferocious reaction amongst other parties and many MPs would, unsurprisingly, find it difficult to line up in the same lobby as Sinn Fein.
The presence of six anti-Brexit Sinn Fein MPs would, I fear, lose as many votes as it would gain. Instead, the House of Commons as it is must make the right judgement for the country. That includes the MPs who remember the Troubles, the ministers who inherited the Good Friday Agreement, and the parliamentarians whose constituents’ friends and relatives travel freely across a peaceful Ireland today.
The Good Friday Agreement meant the Irish question was not one I had to grapple with Those who called for Brexit said we had to take back control, but instead we risk losing control of a carefully and painstakingly structured peace in Northern Ireland and an invisible border.
You can read the whole article here.
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27 Comments
Nick, The problem is that although you are right on this, no-one, including the media, has been listening to us since coalition except a small proportion of enthusiasts. Brexit is what you have brought us to, as a consequence of your leadership.
The country needs a positive message of hope from the Lib Dems now, not “I told you so” in a year or so’s time. To get it heard we need positive publicity from a media with no interest in what we are doing. How about you apologising for personally making a total mess of Britain’s Liberal Democracy between 2010 and 2015 on the Ten O’clock News? Brexit is happening because people became so disillusioned at that period that they stopped believing in Liberal Democracy and the Lib Dems. We lost the referendum because we hadn’t enough MPs post 2015 to make a real case for Remain on the streets in 2016. The logic is irrefutable.
@DavidEvans, So Nick’s right but no one cares because it’s Nick. If that’s how democracy works then we’re all going to hell in a hand cart. Just as well that Hellestine and Adonis are telling people more or less the same thing……will the public believe them, or are they too tainted by some past misdemeanour ?
On the substantive point, rather than the obligatory Nick bashing, how bright do you have to be to work out that if Norhern Ireland has to be aligned with Ireland, and the North has to be aligned with the rest of the U.K. (Red line for DUP), then the UK will have to be aligned with Ireland and thus the EU. And will Jacob R-M and his lads stand for that ?
Only possible solution is Boris’ technological, spy in the sky border (or is that pie in the sky ?) and who really thinks that’s a runner ?
Personally I think the Lib Dems should table a motion demanding that “in the interests of Brexit” the government install a hard border in Ireland and employ the massive amounts of staff needed to man it and the extra customs checks that will be needed on the Channel. After that, the government will be left to explain why “controlling our borders” – the central pillar of Brexit – is bad idea… 🙂
Hellestine and Adonis, arguably carry less respect than Clegg and let’s face it, Clegg is hardily a figure of respect.
Paul R 23rd Mar ’18 – 5:15pm Please note that Gerry Adams has retired as the President of Sinn Fein and been replaced by a Dublin TD, former MEP, who was interviewed initially on BBC TV Daily Politics on 23/3/2018.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-43516904/sinn-fein-president-mary-lou-mcdonald-on-post-brexit-border
https://www.bing.com/search?q=mary+lou+mcdonald+wiki&form=WNSGPH&qs=SC&cvid=b709c39dade4461f86ee156e8c76228c&pq=mary-lou-mcdonald&cc=GB&setlang=en-US&nclid=D19A84F13F0AA22DEE7AE50DDCF460A0&ts=1521827559720
@Jay. So who can deliv this vital message ? John Major ? (Too gray) . Anna Soubury ? (Not famous enough). Stephen Kinnock ? (Too Kinnocky !). Help me out here.
I guess this is post modern politics. The messenger defines the message rather the the message defining the messenger .
“… on 18 November 2017, Gerry Adams was re-elected party leader, but announced that he would ask the Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle to call for a special Ard Fheis to be held within three months to choose a new president, and that he would not stand for re-election as TD for Louth in the next election.”
Is a second referendum really the issue that the Party should devote so much of its resources to – and likely for a long time – with little or no credit going to the Party in the unlikely event that one is achieved?
Destruction of nature as dangerous as climate change, scientists warn
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/23/destruction-of-nature-as-dangerous-as-climate-change-scientists-warn
Is trying to block Brexit in the HofC really the issue that the Party should devote so much of its resources to – and likely for a long time – with little or no credit going to the Party in the unlikely event that this is achieved?
Paul Ehrlich: ‘Collapse of civilisation is a near certainty within decades’
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/mar/22/collapse-civilisation-near-certain-decades-population-bomb-paul-ehrlich
I was going to suggest the Shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Owen Smith, might be best placed to get this message across, but it appears JC has sacked him after he called for the UK to remain in the single market and for the British people to be given a vote on the final withdrawal deal struck with Brussels https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/jeremy-corbyn-sacks-owen-smith-after-frontbencher-called-for-labour-to-consider-abandoning-brexit/ar-BBKCkd1?ocid=spartanntp
@Joe Bourke
“Owen Smith [has] called for the UK to remain in the single market and for the British people to be given a vote on the final withdrawal deal struck with Brussels”
There is a good argument for a second referendum to be held – and if this is to come about it is clearly the role of the official opposition to support and to make the case for this. However, apart from the fact that no one really knows if the UK will be better or worse off as a result of leaving the EU [least of all the vast majority of the voters], it is an extremely risky strategy – for what if the outcome were still to leave [as may well be the case]?
Labour’s chance of winning the next election would disappear almost overnight – surely no one of political maturity would take such a gamble with a political parties future.
Nick Clegg has been stained so badly by his role in the dreaded Coalition that any input he has to offer turns the cause he fights for sour…he should stop offering his support it really turns people off.
I would have expected the mixed messages coming out of Sir Vincent Cable’s visit to the ALDE group in Brussels to be more newsworthy. What on earth is going on with our press office?
@Richard Underhill 23rd Mar ’18 – 5:53pm
I have no idea why you posted that in response to my post.
Given the connections between the individual concerned and the catalogue of human rights abuses that occurred in Northern Ireland during “the troubles”, his departure is a positive step for politics.
@Chris Cory
Major, Heseltine and Soubury? Soubury’s an awful politician. But I suppose the Lib Dems have a habit of jumping in bed with the Tories carte blanche.
To be fair Major, Heseltine and Clarke have all had their day, and the majority of people are unlikely to be swayed by their opinion. Perhaps, I was being a little unfair on Heseltine, though I can certainly see reason’s why I would question Major’s judgement.
Adonis is unelected, and the Lords interfering with democratic decisions is really going to go down well. As for Kinnock, along with Benn, they are is seen as gravytrainers, who aren’t fit to lace their father’s boots. What next a young Blair or Johnson. God forbid.
If you are hoping to change people’s attitudes to Brexit with that lot, you are going to end up very disappointed indeed.
John Roffrey,
“no one of political maturity would take such a gamble with a political parties future.” Surely this is matter of political conviction versus political strategy. I have always been of the opinion that if you stand by what you think is right based on the values you hold that is the best poitical strategy to follow.
Trying to second guess the everchanging populist mood and flitting from one position to another is not a sign of political maturity or any kind of longer-term political strategy.
Whether a second referendum on the negotiated deal with the EU confirms acceptance of the terms offered or it is rejected and the option to remain is chosen, the matter of EU membership will be be settled for generations to come. The debate can then turn to reform of the EU and management of the relationship between Eurozone members and non-Euro members.
@jay. Well ok, if we accept that all the above named are politically damaged, then who is the one to tell the people that Brexit is packed full of what I think Marxists call “internal contradictions” ?
@jay
“Soubry’s an awful politician”. How come? Such ‘throwaway’ remarks reveal more about the accuser than the accused. Anna Soubry can be annoying but I personally have a lot of time for her. Now, if you want ‘awful’ politicians, I can name you a few. Mind you, what is an awful politician? Definitions, please.
Sinn Fein are a mainstream political party. The same party that has been power sharing in the Stormont Assembly until very recently. Westminster Politics needs to move on from this anti Sinn Fein mentality.
“Sinn Fein are a mainstream political party. The same party that has been power sharing in the Stormont Assembly until very recently. Westminster Politics needs to move on from this anti Sinn Fein mentality.”
Seconded. But it would be helpful if their elected Westminster MPs took their HoC seats…
Nick is absolutely right.
The bizarre position is that those most keen on leaving – the Tory right and the DUP – are those who proclaim their Unionism loudest. If they insist on leaving the Customs Union and the Single Market then there will have to be a hard Irish border. The Brexiteers utterly fail to realise the damage that would do to the stability of Northern Ireland.
The great majority of nationalist effectively put their long term aspirations on hold as a result of the Good Friday Agreement, settling for partnership inside NI with north-south links, but nationalist sentiment has increased dramatically as a result of the referendum.
Brexiteers are still seeking a magic solution to borde controls without having controls on the border, but have so far failed to make the impossible possible,
@JoeB: “Surely this is matter of political conviction versus political strategy. I have always been of the opinion that if you stand by what you think is right based on the values you hold that is the best poitical strategy to follow.’
Joe – strategy and conviction are separate issues, but not mutually exclusive. Politicians are in the business of changing the public’s opinions and attitudes towards an issue and these can be firmly entrenched even on relatively minor issues – it therefore usually requires a well thought out plan to achieve the goal.
Presently, neither Theresa May nor Jeremy Corbyn are showing any signs that they are prepared to change their minds over leaving the EU – so a second referendum is not really a viable option. There is also little likelihood of there being enough rebel MPs to block the passage of the bill on the eventually agreed deal in the HofC – but most importantly there is not a real swell of public anger against what looks likely to be agreed.
Strategically, if it is your conviction that our leaving the EU must be blocked at any cost – it is better to hold back on pressing for this to be the case until there seems to be a realistic possibility that this can be achieved – since rushing ahead can undermine the chances of achieving the desired end by creating unnecessary resentments.
Highlighting the problems that are likely to occur, if the deal goes through, to change public opinion is a valid strategy – but pressing for this too early can be self defeating.
There would not have been a referendum if we had not lost nearly all our seats in 2015. The Tories would not have won a majority. Brexit is the consequence of breaking our pledge on tuition fees.
It’s far from clear the Lib Dems would have opposed a referendum in a coalition government post 2015:
https://www.libdemvoice.org/baroness-kishwer-falkner-writes-a-lib-dem-red-line-over-an-eu-referendum-yes-or-no-the-choice-is-appealingly-straightforward-isnt-it-45812.html.
Remember 7/8 Lib Dem MPs voted for the referendum bill.
Anna Soubry said on BBC Radio 4 Any Questions that the Conservative party left her and that her views have not changed. So maybe she should be perceived as an Independent Conservative.
Michael Heseltine campaigned for Remain in the 2106 referendum. He has announced that he cannot support the current Tory policy in the euro-elections and has now decided to vote Liberal Democrat.
Richard Underhill – “…..2106 referendum”, nice typo Richard .
I hope we’re not still arguing about Brexit in 87 years’ time.