Rory Stewart, MP for Penrith and The Border, has confirmed that he will be voting in favour of the Government’s Brexit Deal this evening.
This vote will determine whether Britain is to leave the European Union under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement and in line with the Political Declaration that the Prime Minister negotiated.
Rory has been a supporter of the Prime Minister’s Deal since the Withdrawal Agreement was published in November and has been prominent in arguing for it, across both Cumbria and the UK. In December he held a public meeting on the deal at Newton Rigg, which was attended by over 300 people, and was streamed live over both Twitter and Facebook. He has also argued for the deal in various other debates and in the newspapers, writing numerous letters to The Cumberland and Westmorland Herald on the matter, two Word from Westminster columns and an op-ed in The Financial Times.
Confirming his intention, Rory said: “I will be voting for the Prime Minister’s Deal this evening, because I believe this to be the best deal for our country. It ends the jurisdiction of European courts and gives Britain control over immigration – which was a key issue in the referendum – while also reassuring Remainers by providing economic certainty and a positive model for a future relationship with the European Union. I am proud to be supporting it.
“The alternatives to this deal would be disastrous. A No Deal Brexit would damage the economy and, particularly, our farms as it could result in tariffs of over 40% put on beef and sheep meat. No Brexit cannot be an option – every single member of parliament and every party, and the government itself, promised to uphold the referendum – whatever the result. Reversing this would cause serious damage to our democracy and so, because I believe the Prime Minister’s Deal to be in the best interests of our country, I will be supporting it this evening.”
