Vicky Foxcroft MP for Lewisham Deptford & Shadow Minister for Disabled People
It’s been a while since I posted an update on Brexit, so I thought I would share the response I am currently sending to people who get in touch to vent their frustrations. I hope I can reassure you that I am continuing to represent the views of Lewisham Deptford residents.
Labour’s manifesto in the upcoming European Parliament election reiterates our promise to vote against any damaging Tory Brexit and our pledge to campaign for a confirmatory ballot on the deal.
I campaigned to remain in the 2016 referendum and voted against triggering Article 50 in 2017. My opinions have not changed since then and I still believe that remaining a member of the European Union is the best deal available to the UK.
My role as an Opposition Whip means I am involved in deciding what the Parliamentary Labour Party’s position should be on different votes and amendments. It may not always be obvious, but there is a huge amount of intense negotiation going on behind the scenes and I am doing all I can to ensure there is a public vote on any negotiated deal. I believe it is important that the voices of Remain constituencies are adequately represented in these conversations, and as a Whip I am able to feed back the strength of feeling that still exists on this issue in Lewisham Deptford and in similar constituencies across the country.
We now understand that the Prime Minister will bring her deal back to Parliament at the beginning of June. The only way Labour would be persuaded to help it through Parliament would be if there was a guarantee of a confirmatory referendum attached.
Whatever the outcome of that vote and the continuing talks between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, I would still like to see any deal put back to the people – with the option of remain on the ballot paper. This continues to be the position I am pushing for within the party.