Brexit ruling!

On Thursday, three High Court judges ruled government and the Prime Minister cannot bypass Parliament in trigging Article 50. The government replied by appealing the ruling in the Supreme Court. The outcome of that appeal is due early January 2017.

Must admit that I am not versed in the law, but I believed it was the government’s job to negotiate treaties. This morning, my thinking was confirmed by the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on the Marr show, when he told Andrew Marr “Parliament passes laws, it always has, but governments negotiate treaties. And, the reason that Parliament can’t negotiate treaties is you can’t decide an international treaty by a simple vote of MPs.”

Since the referendum vote earlier this year, feelings and emotions have been running high and voters on both sides are anxious and untrusting of one another. Leavers think Remainers will do everything to overturn the result of the referendum and some prominent Remainers are promising to do just that.

I fully understand as a parliamentary democracy MPs are our representatives and voice in the Commons. Let’s not forget that, they voted 6 to 1 in favour of an EU Referendum. And, even though treaty negotiation is not their brief, this treaty is a game changer that will have a profound effect in our nation. Therefore, it makes perfect sense they want to know and debate its points before triggering Article 50. On the other hand, Brussels made it very clear, in more than one occasion that there will be no discussion or talk regarding any deal until Article 50 is triggered.

Now, that creates a problem!

How can over 600 MPs (most of whom are Remainers) for 90 seconds each debate and add amendments, yet keep our negotiating hand secret? How can the government keep our thinking hidden from Brussels without withholding most of the negotiations form the Commons? If that happens, then what’s the point of Parliament debating Article 50?

Also, let’s not forget those Remainers who made clear their intentions to do all they can to derail Brexit either in the Commons or via the Lords! That is very damaging. It threatens our democracy and its fabric at its core. The will of the people should not be ignored and a wealthy businesswoman who is unwilling to accept the outcome of the referendum should not be allowed to dictate the destiny of Britain. Gina Miller wants the British people to admire and be her biggest fan because in her mind she saw “the elephant in the room and created a legal certainty!”