WestcombeNEWS Free to 3800 homes, in libraries and some shops Dec. 2018/Jan. 2019 No.10 A Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year to all our readers Although the WN is a-political, at this time of national crisis, we have a right to know what our MP thinks. Brexit – what next? Just as our readers have a right to express their views! The WN asked our MP to give us his take on the Please send in your brief comments for the next issue of the WN . The full text of Matt Pennycook’s speech is at state we are in - and what happens next . https: //www.matthewpennycook. n November 17th, Matt Pennycook com/portfolio/brexit-what-next/ OMP presented his views on where if the draft withdrawal deal is voted down, we are at in the Brexit process – and arguing that all options must be on the how to get out of what is currently, at table. the time of writing, a chaotic situation . Those options include instructing the Here, WN Reporter attempts a summary government to go back to Brussels to of what was a very long speech: renegotiate. An improved deal would then Mr Pennycook made clear we have now keeps us closely aligned to the EU over the entered the most critical phase in the Brexit long-term, and minimise the disruption to process. As he put it: “The next few weeks trade, to supply chains and to business in will determine whether or not Parliament general that would be created by a hard endorses the withdrawal agreement that has Brexit. In short, to insist the red lines be been struck, or, if not, what happens next. abandoned, to soften the definition of what All the signs are that the deal is Brexit can mean so that it’s acceptable to “inadequate”, to say the least, and will not the sensible majority in Parliament. get through Parliament. He said: “Keir Starmer and I were last in He warned that the potential for a Brussels only 10 days ago meeting EU serious rupture in relations with our pfficials and Parliamentarians and they European friends is still very real, as is the remain receptive to a deal of that kind, just potential for a political and constitutional as they remain open to an extension of the crisis here at home. Article 50 process if required.” PHOTO: Neville Grant His argument on the day was that a Santa seemed totally unfazed by Brexit at the Westcombe Society’s Those options also include a general sensible deal was achievable, albeit one Christmas Craft Fair. Perhaps his grotto had diplomatic immunity. election that would give a new government that was never going to be as good as EU in no way resolved how we would leave respond to the referendum by forging con - the opportunity to pick up the negotiations membership, that the government have and what our future relationship with the sensus, we may have ended up in a very on the basis of different priorities. failed to secure such a deal because of the EU27 would be, and whether no deal different place. Instead, he said, the whole And, if neither of these options prove to way it chose to approach Brexit, that the would be better than membership. approach to the negotiations has been be possible, the option of campaigning for deal that Mrs May has struck is not good However, he argued that the choices the premised on what Theresa May can get a public vote. And given, he stated, that a enough and that even at this late stage, a government made in the wake of the through her cabinet and her divided party, choice between the deal Parliament had range of options are still open. referendum, not least adopting, in his rather than what is in the national interest. already voted down, and no deal at all, He was clear throughout that the deal words, “the most extreme interpretation of could not seriously be the proposition put that the Prime Minister has struck with the the referendum result” by setting out red Where next? before the British people in such a vote, it EU is “inadequate” and that he intends to lines that swept a customs union and any Mr Pennycook made it clear that the follows that “Remain” must be on the table vote against it in the forthcoming ‘mean - means of participating in the single market procedure surrounding the forthcoming as an option. ingful vote’ in Parliament. off the table, along with any future role for ‘meaningful vote’ was still to be However, Mr Pennycook was honest about He went on to argue that Parliament the European Court of Justice, had brought determined and that there would be a fight his serious and longstanding concerns must resist the argument being made by us to where we now are. in Parliament over it. However, he assured about both the desirability and practicality Mrs May, namely that the choice before He agreed with Jo Johnson (The brother his audience that, in his view, whatever the of holding a second referendum, for he MPs is her deal or no deal and made clear of Boris): the last 19 months represent a outcome, this Parliament would not allow argued that it involves serious risks that his belief that, if MPs do resist that false spectacular failure of British statecraft. this government to crash us out of the EU need to be given serious consideration. choice “Parliament can secure the chance Many mistakes had been made throughout without a deal. He said: “Even if we set aside the very to decisively shape what happens next”. the talks: the government was ill-prepared Why? real issues around the timing of any public If, having examined the withdrawal and ill-informed too: the admission by Mr Because the vast majority of MPs know vote and what the questions would be on agreement put before them, MPs vote the Raab that “he hadn’t quite understood” that exiting the EU without a deal would the ballot paper, it is beholden on everyone deal down, Mr Pennycook argued forceful - the importance of the Dover-Calais cross - be a catastrophe. He also said that the gov - to think long and hard about all the ly that all options must be on the table. In ing to UK trade was extraordinary and sug - ernment’s talk of a “No-Deal” is a bluff – implications and the risks involved. his view, those options include: gested, he argued, that “even the most and a crude one at that. Mr Pennycook “We find ourselves in this mess because • Instructing the government to go back prominent of Brexiteers are clearly still claimed that the UK is simply not prepared a former Prime Minister played fast and and renegotiate the deal. learning, even at this late stage.” to exit the EU on 29th March next year loose with a referendum – believing this • A General Election. Perhaps the most important mistake without a deal. He said the flimsy ‘No would solve a party management issue, to • Another public vote. was following a path designed to placate deal’ guidance issued over recent months meet the challenge of a rising UKIP and to the extreme wing of her party. Instead Mrs proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt. put Labour, unwilling to risk our European A negotiation mishandled? May should have squared with the British On that basis, he said that MPs of all future on a public vote, on the back foot. Mr Pennycook was open about the fact that people, and made clear that a sensible deal parties need to accept that the choice they “In so doing, Cameron turned an issue the process of separating ourselves from would inevitably involve compromises – face in Parliament is not merely a binary that wasn’t poisoning our politics to any the UK after nearly half a century was and on that basis forge a broad consensus one between the deal on offer and no deal significant degree into one that has always going to be fantastically complex, in Parliament and across the country. If at all, as Mrs May has continually insisted. polarised the country top to bottom and that the process of leaving was always Mrs May, he argued, had reached out, Mr Pennycook then set out what he risks fracturing our precious union. going to be divisive because the referendum embraced Parliament and sought to believed can, and in his view must happen (Continued on page 6) < < Newsbriefs > > The Live Nativity Bem-vindos their autumn timetable. This has Mums Aid comes to free We are sorry we got the date of meant that some weeks trains have ... based on Westcombe Hill, won the visiting Portuguese choir not stopped at Westcombe Park or an award from the Big Lottery in wrong. The Vox Soul Choir Maze Hill. The ‘justification’ is October. MumsAid was the The Blackheath Standard Concert is in fact at 6.00 pm on that trains need to catch up time in Westcombe Society’s Charity of Sat. 1st Dec. at St George’s. bad weather and during the the year in 2017. It has now won Saturday 15th December Refreshments will be provided autumn leaf fall! The Greenwich another award - see page 2. after the concert, and a retiring Line Users Group ( GLUG ), the Sadly, Greenwich is one of only collection will go to the Westcombe Society, Councillors two London boroughs that are The journey begins at 3pm outside Greenwich Night Shelter. and our MP have all objected to rated as inadequate on the map of ^<M E<D< this but so far our complaints have Perinatal mental health services.