Express & Star

MP: We must stop negotiating with ourselves over Brexit

"We need to stop negotiating with ourselves and start delivering Brexit."

Published
Dudley South MP Mike Wood

That was the frank message from Tory MP Mike Wood, who has warned his fellow politicians that people are sick and tired of them bickering amongst themselves over the UK's departure from the EU.

The Dudley South MP and staunch Brexiteer admitted he was frustrated that MPs were still 'quibbling over process issues' which he said meant the EU had barely had to bother entering into negotiations up to now.

Mr Wood was reflecting on a tumultuous week of votes in the House of Commons, which saw Labour and Tory MPs rebel against their parties on key legislation.

Delivering a broadside against Remainer MPs, he told the Express & Star: "It has been made clear that we absolutely can't remain members of the single market, as doing so would represent a betrayal of the Brexit vote.

"Similarly we must have an independent trade policy, and that does not mean staying in the customs union with the EU.

"I get frustrated that we are still wasting time quibbling over process issues from people who have never respected the result of the referendum.

"We expect the opposition to hold the Government to account, but playing party politics with an issue of this importance is bad for the national interests.

"It is time that we moved on and recognised that people voted to leave to take back important controls, particularly over our laws, our money and our trade.

"The Government's position has not moved since last year's white paper, and even Labour's manifesto was quite clear that free movement of people is not consistent with Brexit, and that we must have the freedom to conclude international trade deals.

"Yet now there are those who are prepared to put all principles to one side just to try and ambush the Government."

Mr Wood said MPs had wasted too much time 'negotiating with ourselves and arguing ourselves down', which he said 'we should be beyond by this point'.

"Most people in the Black Country want us to get on with negotiating the best deal for Britain with the EU," he added. "For the last nine months the EU has barely had to bother engaging in negotiations.

"The truth is that internal opposition in Westminster and the wider political classes have done all the negotiating for them."