Monday, January 30, 2017

Our Brexit/Single Market motion to Gateshead Council

On Thursday last week, the Lib Dem group in Gateshead submitted the following motion for debate at Council on 2nd February.

This Council notes the results of the referendum on the 23rd June 2016. This Council further notes that many leading supporters of the leave campaign backed calls for the UK to remain in the single market, even if there was a decision to leave the EU. Furthermore, this council notes that proposals to withdraw from the single market were not included in the referendum question. 

This Council notes that significant numbers of Gateshead’s residents are employed by businesses that trade directly with the single market. 

This Council calls on the Government to negotiate to keep the UK in the single market and calls on Gateshead MPs to oppose the triggering of Article 50 in Parliament until assurances are given that the Government will negotiate for the country to remain in it.

I've already had indications from the within the Labour group that the motion will be rejected by them though they have their group meeting tonight so an amendment is a possibility. Given that a significant number of Labour MPs are set to rebel against Jeremy Corbyn's craven surrender to Theresa May on this matter, Labour councillors should not have a significant problem supporting our motion.

We shall see.

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