Henry Smith MP has challenged Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party MEPs over their vote last week in the European Parliament to block progress in Britain’s Brexit talks.

Last week the European Parliament passed a non-binding motion to hold back talks on the future relationship between the UK and the EU. Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party MEPs representing the South East of England voted in support of this motion.

Henry said;

“However people voted in the referendum, most now want us to get on with making Brexit work. That means negotiating the best deal for families and businesses in Crawley.

“The Conservatives are doing just that, but local Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green MEPs voted to block progress in the negotiations. They need to explain to people in Crawley why they voted against our interests and to delay talks.

“It looks like they’re more interested in frustrating Brexit than delivering the decision made by voters in Crawley and across the country, and getting the right deal.”

The Brexit negotiations are the most important negotiations our country faces. The UK Government want to move negotiations on from discussing withdrawal issues to talks about the substance of the future relationship we want with the EU. This will cover, for example, the rules our businesses trade under, the way the police work across borders to keep us safe, and how we get control of our borders.

Notes to Editors:

South East of England MEPs voting for the delay

Labour: John Howarth
Liberal Democrat: Catherine Bearder
Green: Keith Taylor

Exiting the EU Secretary response

The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, Rt Hon David Davis MP, has written to the Leader of the Labour Party, Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP, urging him to remove the whip from 18 Labour MEPs who backed the vote.

Conservative opposition to the motion

The Conservative Party instructed its MEPs to vote against the motion, and in favour of the UK’s national interest, and have removed the whip from those who refused to do so.