THE MP for Northfield has welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court which ruled on Tuesday (January 24) that Parliament must vote on when the Brexit process can be started.
It means Article 50 cannot be triggered and the ‘divorce proceedings’ cannot begin with the EU until a bill gets the backing of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Following Tuesday’s ruling, Prime Minister Theresa May was quick to reassure the country that her intended timetable would still stand and that Article 50 would be triggered before her March 31 deadline.
Richard Burden, the MP for Northfield said the ruling confirmed what many who voted leave wanted – for sovereign Parliament to have the final say on matters of such significance to the future of the country – not Ministers on their own.
“It is no secret I voted to stay in the EU and have not changed my view, but I accept the result of the referendum.
“As I said in a Huffington Post article a couple of months ago, it is not about if but how.
“The Referendum decided on Brexit but it was silent on how best we can go about leaving the EU to achieve the kind of future we want for ourselves and our children.
“Labour’s Brexit Spokesman, Sir Keir Starmer MP is right to confirm that, as democrats respecting the referendum result, Labour won’t seek to frustrate the triggering of Article 50.”
“However, it is our duty to ensure the Government is held accountable as they pursue Brexit negotiations. Ministers should start by publishing a White Paper laying out its plans.”
He added Parliament must be able to scrutinise and where appropriate amend the Government’s plans in the weeks and months ahead.
The court also ruled the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies need not be consulted and the vote would only be with the UK Government as a whole.
