Andrew Dismore

At today’s Mayor’s Question Time, Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden Andrew Dismore AM, questioned London Mayor Sadiq Khan over the over impact of Brexit ‘meaningful vote’ on London.

Mr Dismore asked the Mayor:

‘Getting away from UKIP’s unicorns and back to reality, would you agree that the meaning of this week’s “meaningful vote” in Parliament on Brexit surely is that the Prime Minister has suffered the biggest ever defeat of a Government in history,  with  a  majority of 230 against her deal,  and which scale of loss in normal times would have led inevitably to her  resignation and not,  to quote  Churchill,  for her to  KBO regardless, sticking to her red lines that have been rejected by the Commons. Isn’t it about time the Prime Minister looked to the interests of the country and not just to try to paper over the massive cracks of the irreparably fractured Humpty Dumpty that is the Conservative Party?

‘Whilst there is a clear absence of a Commons majority for anything except against crashing out with a ‘no deal’ Brexit, do you agree this must not be allowed to happen by default and with what London First has said:

“We need to stop the clock and revoke Article 50 to avoid a disastrous no deal Brexit….. if the Government can’t come up with a plan that commands Parliamentary support, the decision should go back to the people”.

‘Isn’t it the case that a ‘People’s Vote’ second referendum is a strengthening of democracy, not an undermining of it? Bearing in mind the lies, distortions, illegal funding and overseas interference in the first referendum, now we can see what is on offer, is it not essential to give the people the chance to decide on the clear choice, between the deal on offer from the PM and remaining in the EU; and isn’t it the case that the anti-democrats are the minority of hard core leavers who are frightened that an informed electorate will come to a different conclusion?’

The Mayor, in agreeing with Mr Dismore, said that those who oppose a second referendum were not behaving democratically. What were they frightened of, giving the people an informed choice between leaving on a deal or staying in the EU, albeit imperfect, and working for change.

Notes:

Andrew Dismore is the Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden