Last night we defeated the Government on Brexit for the 23rd time in the Commons.
The vote, which passed by 328 to 301, allowed MPs to take control of parliamentary business today.
This is a quantum leap in the right direction to stopping Brexit altogether.
.@BorisJohnson has lost the support of the people, parliament and his own party
With a ‘majority’ of -43 he has no mandate for #NoDealBrexit
Today the #RebelAlliance will ensure he can’t crash us out of the EU
— Tom Brake MP ? (@thomasbrake) September 4, 2019
It means we are able to push a vote on a Bill which will effectively take No Deal off the table.
But we must proceed with caution.
That’s why today the Liberal Democrats will vote against Boris Johnson’s calls for a general election.
In all my time in Parliament, I have never seen a period when so many parliamentary conventions have been torn up.
We’re walking a tightrope and one foot wrong risks the future of our country as we know it.
That’s why today the Liberal Democrats will vote against Boris Johnson’s calls for a general election.
Quite simply, on Johnson’s terms, an election could very easily lead to us sleepwalking off the cliff edge and crashing out of the EU.
With the Prime Minister in control of the timetabling of the election and its outcome unknown, October 31st could sail by with no arrangements or deal with the EU in place.
Make no mistake, we want to stop Brexit – we’ve led the fight for the last three years – but to do that, we have to be prepared to play the long game.
It’s highly likely the Bill to take No Deal off the table will pass in the Commons tonight – another victory over this shambolic Conservative Government we should celebrate.
But it still doesn’t provide us with enough security. Firstly, it still needs to be ratified by the Lords and secondly, successor Parliaments cannot be bound by acts of their predecessors.
Make no mistake, we want to stop Brexit – we’ve led the fight for the last three years – but to do that, we have to be prepared to play the long game.
This is about ensuring vital medical supplies don’t dry up; that EU citizens’ futures are safeguarded and that our economy is protected against years of extreme uncertainty.
It’s vital all parties put the interests of the country before their own at this crucial time.
We can and we must stop Brexit.