The threat issued today by the Remain campaign to launch a judicial review over whether Britain automatically leaves the EEA when it leaves the EU is another attack on the democratic will of the British people. It was sadly to be expected.This latest attempt to sabotage the democratic will of the people, led by failed pro-remain campaign group British Influence will by no means be the last.
Remainers will be using as many legal mechanisms as they can to slow down the Brexit process and keep Britain in the Single Market. In doing so they are seeking to create uncertainty in the British economy – effectively trying to create economic turmoil in order to keep Britain locked into the EU internal market. They want to see a recession in the UK so they can say I told you so. Their behavior is both disgraceful and damaging to the national interest. It is damaging our negotiating stance with the EU and damaging our global credibility with other nations who want to do free trade deals with us.
Investors, businesses and consumers have so far reacted positively following the decision of the British people to leave the EU, against all of the negative forecasts put out by Remain during the referendum campaign. Unfortunately for the Remain campaign, a post-Brexit vote strong British economy does little to keep hopes of remaining in the EU alive.
That is why this latest legal challenge will not be the last. The only way that the anti-democratic Remain campaign can try to subvert the will of the people is by undermining the Brexit process and trying to create economic uncertainty (which they will then blame on “Brexit”).
There are a number of senior politicians colluding to keep Britain in the EU internal Market. In addition to the usual remoaners like Anna Soubry, Nick Clegg and Chukka Umunna, Tony Blair and John Major joined in last week. I understand that George Osborne and Peter Mandelson are also working together to try to keep Britain chained to the EU.
It is vital that the Government reacts to these latest legal threats by pushing forward with the Brexit process as soon as possible. There must be no delay – we must trigger Article 50 and begin negotiating with the EU as soon as possible to ensure that Britain achieves independence by early 2019 at the latest – if not before.
If the EU is not willing to negotiate – the Government must walk away – no deal is better than a bad deal with the EU and we cannot let their incompetence delay the opportunity to secure trade deals with the rest of the world.
This is the time for strong courageous leadership from the Prime Minister. Lead from the front and show who is the boss.
Richard Tice is co-Chair of Leave Means Leave and co-founder of Leave.EU
November 28th, 2016: Daily Telegraph