The Decision to Leave the European Union
I have received a significant amount of correspondence from constituents expressing their views about the decision to leave the European Union.
To ensure that all those who’ve written to me receive a thorough statement of my position, I have compiled the following summary, which should cover all of the questions asked and points raised.
I know that some people will disagree with the stance I have taken, but with the UK leaving the EU, our focus should not be on trying to re-run the referendum. Instead we should be uniting around the absolute necessity of making a success of the important task at hand and ensuring the very best deal for our country.
On voting to trigger Article 50
Please see my full statement issued prior to the vote in the House of Commons: www.robwilsonmp.com/news/statement-article-50
A Nationwide Vote
This was not a Reading or Wokingham referendum, it was a nationwide vote – the outcome of which the Government and the House of Commons pledged to respect. To suggest that I should seek to overturn the majority view of the UK electorate based on borough-wide totals overlooks this fundamental point.
Reading and Wokingham are part of the UK and I hope still very proud to be so.
A Second Referendum
The Government was clear throughout the debate that there would be no second referendum. The vote was held, the public gave its verdict and therefore I do not support any attempts to re-run the vote.
Parliamentary scrutiny
The House of Commons has already debated the Bill to invoke Article 50, and going forward, Parliament will have a say on our withdrawal from the EU - not least through the Great Repeal Bill. This is due to be introduced in the next parliamentary session.
The Great Repeal Bill will remove the European Communities Act 1972 from the statute book meaning that the legislation which gives direct effect to all EU law in Britain, will no longer apply from the date upon which the UK formally leave the EU. The existing body of EU law will be converted to UK law wherever practical and Parliament will be free to amend, repeal and improve any law that it chooses.
Rights of UK and EU Citizens
Securing the status of EU citizens, as well as that of British nationals in the EU, is a priority as soon as Article 50 is triggered and negotiations begin. It goes without saying that EU nationals have made an invaluable contribution to Reading East and I can assure you that there has been no change in their status.
The Prime Minister has made it clear that we want to see the earliest possible agreement and stand ready to reach a deal with our partners in the EU; however, this position is not reciprocated by some member states, which want to wait until formal talks begin.
Availability of independent information prior to the referendum
Both supporters and campaigners of the Remain and Leave sides of the argument have, at various points prior to and since the referendum, called into question the validity, independence and accuracy of the information available to voters.
There’s no doubt that there were points and counter-points made by campaigners that were described as “factual” by their proponents, some of which have since been dismissed as spurious or exaggerated. However, there’s no doubt that there was copious information available and therefore it was for the electorate to consider carefully both sides of the argument and make an informed judgement.
With an unprecedented situation such as this, it was impossible to provide definitive answers either way as to the ramifications of a Yes or No vote; indeed, you could also argue that this is the case in elections and referenda at all levels - this is, therefore, the inherent nature of democracy.
Those people with whom I’ve spoken, on both sides of the argument, have not demonstrated in any way that they were starved of information; with the overwhelming majority having researched the key issues and cast their votes in line with the view they had formed.
The referendum certainly galvanised voters to become better informed and this is something that should be welcomed.
Voter Turnout
The EU Referendum Act, which was scrutinised by both Houses of Parliament and approved by a margin of just under 6:1, stipulated the terms under which the referendum would take place. The Act did not set a threshold for the result, or for minimum turnout. No super majority was required.
I do appreciate that in decisions of such magnitude, it would always be preferable for all those eligible to vote to do so and express their views as to the future direction of this country - unfortunately, despite the extensive coverage of the referendum in the weeks and months preceding the vote, some people chose not to do so.
Nevertheless, that is their right in our democratic system and, even if the turnout had been substantially higher, it’s impossible to postulate as to how this would have altered the overall result.
With voter turnout at 72 per cent, the referendum was one of the largest democratic exercises in British history, and therefore attempts to remain in the EU would undermine the faith of the British people in the democratic process.
Scotland, Ireland and the United Kingdom
Scotland: The EU referendum was not about Scottish Independence; it was about the United Kingdom. The Scottish independence referendum was legal and fair, and the result was decisive - that result needs to be respected. The 2012 Edinburgh Agreement committed both governments to respecting the outcome of the Scottish referendum and that is how the UK Government intends to approach the negotiations for leaving the EU; we do not address these challenges by leaving our own Union of nations, our biggest market and our closest friends.
Northern Ireland: The UK Government will of course engage fully with the Northern Ireland Executive as it proceeds, recognising the particular circumstances that affect that part of the UK. Along with all political parties in Northern Ireland and the Irish Government, the UK Government will continue to work for peace, stability and prosperity in Northern Ireland.
In addition, in terms of our future relationship with Ireland, here is a strong political commitment from both Governments and the UK and Irish economies are deeply integrated, with an annual trade between the UK and Ireland standing at over £43 billion.
The Government is determined to continue to strengthen ties with Ireland and has been clear on the need for an open border; we must avoid a return to the hard border of the past.
Hate Crime
We are a country which embraces other cultures and religions and celebrates diversity; incidents of hate and xenophobia should not, and will not, be tolerated. They have no place in our society and must be stamped out.
Those who spread hate and division in our communities should be dealt with robustly by the policy and the courts. The Government has published a hate crime action plan, which will increase the reporting of hate crimes, and provide stronger support for victims.
The future of science research funding
The Government is committed to building on our world-leading science base and has pledged to invest in research and innovation, with the Chancellor announcing that thousands of British organisations will receive guarantees on EU funding.
I recognise that there are some key projects supporting economic development across the UK and that certainty on their future is vital. Assurances have been announced by the Treasury including funding all structural and investment fund projects signed before the Autumn Statement, even when these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU, and also putting in place arrangements for assessing whether to guarantee funding for specific projects that might be signed after the Autumn Statement, but while we remain in the EU.
Of course, the future of UK access to European science funding will be a matter for upcoming discussions but whilst the UK is still a member of the EU, it will continue to receive relevant funding; I know that some are concerned about funding from the Horizon 2020 programme but the referendum result has no immediate effect on the right of UK researchers to apply to or participate. In addition, the Government has pledged to underwrite payments for universities currently participating in the programme.
I hope that these commitments will give British businesses and universities certainty over their future funding and ensure stability in the period leading up to our departure from the EU.
The Single Market and the Future of the UK’s Economy
Membership of the EU's single market means accepting its four freedoms: the movement of goods, services, capital and people. It also means complying with the EU's rules and regulations with no say over our laws, immigration policies or trade deals. However, the EU will remain an important trading partner and we will seek access to the single market in a comprehensive and bold free trade agreement. It is not the Government's intention, however, to continue to contribute vast amounts of money to the EU budget.
The newly established Department for International Trade will play a large part in the discussions with other nations to negotiate new trade deals for the UK. It will promote and support UK exports, support Foreign Direct Investment and deliver an international trade network. I am encouraged to see that talks regarding the UK’s future trade relationships have already begun with several nations including the United States, India, Australia and New Zealand.
This Government is committed to building a prosperous future for the UK. Leaving the EU offers us the chance to negotiate our own trade agreements and foster new relationships with trading partners. We already have a strong economy and the Government will continue to promote the UK as a place to do business, which will drive inward investment, and maintain the resources we have so that we can secure the best possible outcome for the UK.