With the Chequers meeting and its chaotic aftermath, the farce of Donald Trump’s visit, and talk of no deal and shortages of food and medicines, it’s clearer than ever that there is no such thing as a good Brexit. While polls have consistently shown increasing opposition to Brexit over the past year, a YouGov poll published last week showing a substantial majority support staying in the EU over a no deal Brexit, and a poll this week showing for the first time a majority in support of a new referendum on the deal, indicate that the tide has turned. Even the BBC now acknowledges that “no Brexit” and a new referendum are now on the table!
We need to keep the pressure on our MPs to support a People’s Vote on Brexit when they debate the Brexit deal this autumn. This includes both those like Daniel Zeichner MP (Cambridge) who already support a People’s Vote, and those like Heidi Allen (South Cambs), Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon) and Lucy Frazer (South East Cambs) who we think can be persuaded to support a People’s Vote, especially as a no deal Brexit becomes more likely.
Local Councils can play a key role in helping to persuade the MPs they work with every day to support a People’s Vote, and across the UK anti-Brexit campaigners are encouraging their local councils to pass motions or resolutions in support of a People’s Vote. This week Oxford City Council became the latest to pass such a motion.
Please email or write to your local councillors and ask them to table or support a motion in favour of a People’s Vote on the Brexit deal. You may have more than one councillor, for example, Cambridge City residents have three City Councillors for their ward, and a County Councillor for their division.
You can find your local Councillors and their contact details online, for example:
- Cambridgeshire County Councillors
- Cambridge City Councillors
- South Cambridgeshire District Councillors
- City of Ely Councillors
- Huntingdonshire District Councillors
- Huntingdon Town Councillors
We are aware that many of our local councils will not be holding a full meeting at which such a motion can be debated until October, but this will be just in time for maximum impact on MPs, and the sooner we get this on the Councils agenda’s the better!
We’ve included a template email – including a link to a sample resolution in support of a People’s Vote – below for you to use and adapt with information relevant to your situation and local council.
Please contact your local councillors as soon as possible, together we can stop Brexit and win a brighter future for the UK!
Template letter/email to local Councillor.
Dear [Insert name],
As my local councillor, I am calling for your support in a national campaign at local level for a People’s Vote on the final terms of Brexit. Will you raise this issue in full Council on my behalf?
Whether you or I voted to leave or remain in 2016, such an important decision for our country and our community shouldn’t be left to politicians in Westminster. Not only does the Brexit deal proposed by Theresa May fail to fully protect the vital economic, social and political interests of the UK, but key elements of it have already been rejected by EU negotiators as they would undermine the integrity of the EU’s Single Market. It is likely that the Brexit ideologues in her own Parliamentary party will block any further concessions required to reach a deal, so a catastrophic no deal Brexit is growing more likely every day.
If Parliament will not act to prevent a no deal Brexit, then they must give the people the final say on Brexit.
Pressure is growing on the Government to put the Brexit ‘deal’ to the country in a referendum so the British public can make the decision on whether to accept the terms of Brexit or stay in the EU. Recent YouGov polls show that a majority now support a new referendum on the deal, and that they favour staying in the EU to leaving without a deal by a majority of 10%. I would appreciate it if you could help add to that pressure.
Swansea, Oxford, and Hammersmith and Fulham Councils are among those that have already passed resolutions to this effect, and generated considerable publicity by doing so. There is a sample resolution based on their successes here.
The aim of this campaign is to get councils across the country to pass People’s Vote resolutions before Parliament considers the final Brexit deal in the Autumn. Our community elected you to stand up for us. You can use your position to put pressure on MPs and the political parties.
I would be delighted to hear your views on this matter and discuss what I can do to support you in your role helping to take this forward.
Yours sincerely,
[Full Name]
[Full Address]
