Message to Theresa May - You are in a hole so please stop digging!

A Message to Theresa May - 'You are in a hole so please stop digging!'

By Jon James

Dear Prime Minister

No amount of arm twisting by your Government's Whips or promises of honours to wavering Tory MPs is going to change the way that parliament votes on December 11th. Almost a third of your MPs are planning to vote down 'your deal', two of your appointees handling the negotiations have already resigned along with several other members of your government; your party is in turmoil. The unedifying internal domestic disputes over Europe which have plagued your Party for decades continue to play out in public. Your Party's survival should not be your overriding concern at a time of national crisis. As you must have heard on your flying visits, the country at large is in danger of becoming so battle weary after over two years of these shambolic negotiations to listen to any of the counter arguments.

Meanwhile those that generate the real economy, many of whom are your political donors and friends have had to put their investment plans on hold, watch as their skilled labour drifts away and take costly contingency arrangements to protect their supply chains and customers from running out of supplies. The BoE forecasts along with your Governments analysis point to a weakened economy which ever form of Brexit is followed and consumers' confidence in the economy over the next 12 months has fallen to its lowest level since shortly after the Brexit vote, one of the weakest readings since the global financial crisis.

With less than four months to go, the country is now being asked to accept a flawed deal as the only option to a No Deal. You must accept much of the blame for the crisis we are now in.You lost any hope of unifying the country on day one, by your unwillingness to bring all parties together to agree a way ahead, you ignored the 48% who voted to remain, and adopted the cloak of a full bloodied Brexiteer laying down your red lines. The unnecessary and divisive Referendum opened a Pandora's box of long standing issues, many of which could be traced to government policies, few of which could be attributed to the Europe. Nevertheless, you continue to dig yourself into the hole about to engulf you.

Even at this late stage, with MPs about to reject your Deal, it doesn't have to be like this.

The impact of a NO Deal on jobs and the living standards of working families and those living on the edge will be tragic, the opportunities about to be lost for our young people is so sad and unnecessary, the potential loss of our country's finest talent, scientists, researchers and skilled workers will be unforgivable.

Your Deal will not limit this damage significantly and the UK will have absolutely no say in anything that happens in Europe from April next year. The signs of leveraging a favourable trade deal from EU countries is already looking ominous as the 27, each with a veto lay down their own demands as a pre-requisite to their agreement - the French and the Spanish over access to UK waters, Spain over Gibraltar and no doubt others lay in wait for their opportunity during two further years plus of wrangling.

There is of course one Deal which dwarfs any of the options on the table - NO Brexit.

I fully acknowledge that such an option will be unacceptable to many who have understandable arguments for leaving the EU. As predicted the blame for the current situation will be levelled at the EU who are apparently 'punishing us' for leaving and refusing to relax their fundamental freedoms to let us leave the Club and still retain all the benefits enjoyed by full members.

I do however believe that the EU has made mistakes and is in need of reform. They have tried to assimilate rich and poor countries too soon, failed to develop a coherent policy over immigration and have not reformed their democratic structures and governance. Nevertheless our European partnership over 45 years had resulted in peace and a remarkable willingness to be flexible to the UK. Over time the UK has successfully negotiated favourable terms, rebates special deals, retained its currency, opted out of plans for a European army and brought massive inward investment in infrastructure, science and technology and benefits which we are prepared to throw away.

As we move towards what could be the biggest case of national self harm in my lifetime our partnership with the Europe Union still remains the best deal we have ever had.

So Prime Minister as the UK Brexit drama plays out to a world-wide Christmas audience there are some last minute deals to be done.

First, accept that your offering is not going to pass muster with any of the UK family. Rather than end up with nothing or send it back with the receipt or change it for something else in the New Year, ask Parliament to agree to pass the legislation to stop the Article 50 clock and advise the EU that you wish to be given more time to place the options before the people.

Personally, I hope that you will reflect over Christmas and decide, that for the sake of future generations, my grandchildren and millions of others, to REMAIN with our friends in Europe.

Yours sincerely

Jon James

END