Ignore the pro-EU propaganda – a clean, swift Brexit is within our reach

Written by

The failure of the Conservative Party to secure a majority at the general election was seized upon by anti-democratic politicians and the pro-Remain media to peddle a narrative that Brexit was finished and Britain would somehow remain subject to EU rule.

It is undeniable that Theresa May’s lacklustre election campaign left her significantly weakened, if not wounded. It would also be untrue to say that the Brexit process will not now be more difficult because of the position in which the Government finds itself; however, the horror stories reported by the likes of the BBC, Guardian and Evening Standard which are then peddled by anti-Brexit politicians are simply not consistent with reality.

Far from being downbeat, the 75 per cent of British people who now want to leave the EU should be delighted with the progress that has been made on the historic task of delivering Brexit.

Since the general election, the Government has made it crystal clear that Britain will leave the Single Market, leave the Customs Union and take back control of Britain’s borders, money and laws.

There has been a swarm of deliberately-placed misinformation spouted from those who should know better. Take David Davis’s former Special Adviser, James Chapman, for example, who this week claimed that the Brexit Secretary was willing to concede and allow the European Court of Justice to rule over Britain. This is extraordinary for two reasons: firstly, Chapman worked in the Department for Exiting the EU for eleven months but failed to comprehend that when you leave the single market you are no longer subject to the ECJ. Secondly, the suggestion that David Davis – one of the most committed politicians in this country to leaving the EU – would be willing to concede judicial control to the ECJ is wholly misconceived.

With all of the negativity around Brexit, it is often forgotten that the last month has seen a number of significant milestones.

The voting through of the Queen’s Speech and, crucially, the overwhelming support in the Commons for the Government’s Brexit plan was extremely important. Ironically, it was arch-Remainer Chuka Umunna who inadvertently demonstrated the huge parliamentary backing Theresa May had when his amendment regretting that the Government hadn’t set out plans to remain in the single market and customs union received just 101 votes compared to the Government’s 322.

On international trade outside of the EU, things are looking very positive. Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox, announced last week that UK-US trade deal negotiations will begin on the 24th of this month – and this is not a moment too soon. For too long Britain has been held back by the EU’s inability to negotiate trade deals and British consumers have been the ones to pay the price, literally. Securing a quick, limited trade deal with the US is an important step in Britain securing its position as a global powerhouse once again. A trade deal with the US could helpfully provide a blueprint on which to base future deals with countries across the globe.

Then, earlier this week, there was the very welcome news that the Government has announced its withdrawal from the 1964 London Fisheries Convention. This means that Britain will no longer have vessels from other EU countries fishing within six to twelve nautical miles of its coastline and signals that the Government is committed to taking back control of our waters.

The reporting on Brexit over the past month has been nothing short of abysmal. In reality, despite opportunistic Remainers led by the might of the BBC claiming Brexit is sunk, the process of Brexit is progressing exceptionally well.

While the Brexit negotiations will have their ups and downs, the Brexit timeframe is still on track and there has been no rowing back by the Government. A clean, swift and exciting Brexit is within our reach.

July 7th, 2017: BrexitCentral